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CONSISTING  OF   A   SERIES  OF 

DENOMINATIONAL   HISTORIES  PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE   AUSPICES  OF 

THE   AMERICAN   SOCIETY  OF   CHURCH   HISTORY 

(Seneraf  (B^itore 

Rev.  Philip  Schaff,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.       Bishop  John  F.  Hurst,  D.D.,LL.  D. 
Rt.  Rev.  H.  C.  Potter,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.  Rev.  E.  J.  Wolf,  D.  D. 
Rev.  Geo.  P.  Fisher,  D.  D.,  LL.D.      Henry  C.  Vedder,  M.  A. 
Rev.  Samuel  M.  Jackson,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Volume  VIII 


.  %  - 


(American  C^rc^  ^ietorg 


A   HISTORY 


OF 


THE  REFORMED  CHURCH,  DUTCH 
THE  REFORMED  CHURCH,  GERMAN 

AND 

THE  MORAVIAN  CHURCH 

IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 


BY 

E.  T.  CORWIN,  D.  D. 

PROFESSOR  J.  H.  DUBBS,  D.  D. 

AND 

PROFESSOR  J.  T.  HAMILTON 


0 


€?e  C^xiBiian  feiterdture  Co. 

MDCCCXCV 


Copyright,  1894, 
By  The  Christian  Literature  Company. 


CONTENTS. 


THE    REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH. 

PAGE 

Bibliography > 

Introduction. — Origin  of  the  Reformed  Church. — Doctrine  and  Polity.  • 
— Separation  from  the  Lutheran  Church. — History  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  Switzerland,  Germany,  France,  and  the  Netherlands. — 
Brotherhood  of  the  Common  Life. — Anabaptists. — Martyrs  and  Ex- 
iles.— Deliverance. — Laturgies,  Creeds,  and  Polity. — Early  Synods. 
— The  Arminian  Controversy  and  the  Synod  of  Dort. — The  Post- 
A.cta. — Later  History i 

PERIOD    I. 

THE    REFORMED    CHURCH    IN    AMERICA — COLONIZATION  (1614-64). 

CHAP.  I. — Transplanting  THE  Reformed  Church  to  America. — 
The  Reformed  Church  Colony  in  New  Netherland. — The  West  India 
Company. — The  Walloons. — Civil  Government  of  the  Colony. — Re- 
ligion in  the  Colony. — Ministry  of  Michaelius. — The  Church  and  the 
Company. — Ministry  of  Bogardus. — English  Settlers. — Ministry  of 
Megapolensis. — Father  Jogues's  Description  of  New  Netherland. 
— Peter  Stuyvesant. — Ministries  of  Drisius  and  Polhemus. — Perse- 
cution of  the  Lutherans. — Growth  of  the  Church. — Persecution  of 
Quakers. — Sabbath  and  Anti-liquor  Laws. — Ministry  of  Selyns. — 
Catechetical  Ordinance. — Conquest  by  the  English. — Early  Minis- 
ters and  Churches. — Dutch  Jurisprudence 23 

PERIOD    II. 

relation    of   THE   REFORMEfD   CHURCH    IN   PARTICULAR,  AND   OF 

THE    PROVINCE    OF    NEW   YORK    IN    GENERAL,  TO    ENGLISH 

ECCLESIASTICAL   LAWS  (1664-I708). 

CHAP.  II. — The  Government  of  James  as  Duke  (1664-85)  and 
King  (1685-89). — Relations  of  the  American  Dutch  Church  to 
Great  Britain  and  to  the  Church  of  Holland. — The  First  Decade 


VI  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

under  English  Rule. — The  Duke's  Laws. — Conciliatory  Policy. — 
Reconquest  of  New  York  by  the  Dutch,  and  its  Resurrender  by  the 
States-General. — Struggle  against  a  Church  Establishment  Repre- 
senting a  Minority. — Case  of  Van  Rensselaer. — First  Dutch  Ordina- 
tion.— Demand  for  an  Assembly. — Domine  Selyns. — The  Hugue- 
nots.— The  Charter  of  Liberties. — Ministry  of  Dellius. — Repeal  of 
the  Charter  of  Liberties. — King  James's  Instructions  to  Governor 
Dongan. — Character  of  James's  Toleration. — Negro  Baptisms. — 
Dongan's  Report  on  the  State  of  the  Province. — Instructions  to  An- 
dros. — Deposition  of  James  and  Accession  of  William  and  Mary. — 
The  Leisler  Troubles. — Persecution  of  the  Ministers. — Vindication 
of  Leisler. — Burning  of  Schenectady  and  Death  of  Tesschenmaeker  63 
CHAP.  III. — William  III.  (1688-1702). — Instructions  to  Governors 
Sloughter  and  Fletcher. — Efforts  to  Secure  a  Ministry  Act,  and 
their  Failure. — The  Ministry  Act. — Colonel  Morris's  Account  of 
the  Ministry  Act. — The  Assembly's  Explanation  of  it. — Rev.  John 
Miller's  View  of  New  York  and  its  Necessities. — Statistics  in 
1695. — Efforts  of  the  Church  of  New  York  to  Obtain  a  Charter. — 
The  Charter. — The  Huguenots. — Charter  of  Trinity  Church. — The 
King's  Farm. — Christian  Courtesy. — Bellomont's  Views  of  the 
Ministry  Act  and  the  Charters. — Bill  for  a  Dissenting  Ministry. — 
Amendments  to  the  Ministry  Act. — Its  Inoperative  Character. — 
Legal  Parity  of  all  Denominations. — Settlements  of  the  Dutch  in 
New  Jersey 95 


PERIOD    III. 

STRUGGLE   FOR   ECCLESIASTICAL   INDEPENDENCE  (1707-92). 

CHAP.  IV. — Revival,  and  Beginnings  of  Organization — Seces- 
sion AND  Strife  ( 1 707-71 ). — The  Generation  Preceding  the  Coetus. 
— Ordinations. — The  Great  Awakening. — The  Palatines. — Request 
for  a  Coetus,  and  Plans  for  the  Same. — Delay. — The  Coetus  Al- 
lowed.— Its  Inefficiency. — Plans  for  an  American  Classis. — Desires 
for  a  College  in  New  York. — Opposition  of  William  Livingston  to 
a  Sectarian  College. — Secession  from  the  Coetus. — Petition  of  the 
Church  of  New  York  for  a  Professorship  of  Divinity  in  the  Proposed 
College. — The  College  Chartered  without  Said  Professorship. — 
Frelinghuyscn's  Effort  for  a  Dutch  College. — Dilemma  of  Domine 
Ritzema  and  of  King's  College. — The  Compromise. — Assumption 
of  Ecclesiastical  Independence  by  the  Coetus. — Their  Commission 
to  Frelinghuysen. — Ritzema  Censured. — The  Disruption  of  the 
Church,  and  its  Sad  Consequences.— Charter  Obtained  for  a  Col- 
lege in  New  Jersey 131 


CONTENTS.  vii 

PAGE 

CHAP.  V. — Reunion  of  the  Parties — Ecclesiastical  Independ- 
ence— Adoption  of  a  Constitution  (1771-92). — John  H. 
Livingston. — His  Influence  in  Holland. — Eff^orts  of  the  Classis  of 
Amsterdam  for  Peace. — Last  Eff'ort  for  the  Professorship  in  King's 
College. — More  Liberal  Charter  for  the  New  Jersey  College. — Dom- 
ine  Laidlie  Called  to  Preach  in  English. — Convention  for  the  Union 
of  the  Parties. — Plan  of  Union  Adopted. — Approved  by  the  Churches 
and  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam. — The  Letter  of  the  Classis. — The 
Transitional  Period  (1772-92). — Duties  of  the  New  Ecclesiastical 
Bodies. — The  Theological  Professorship  and  Queen's  College. — 
The  Revolution. — Election  of  Dr.  Livingston  as  Professor  of  The- 
ology.— -Translation  of  the  Standards,  the  Liturgy,  and  the  Articles 
of  Church  Order. — Seventy-three  Explanatory  Articles  of  Church 
Government  Adopted. — Adoption  of  the  Constitution 159 


PERIOD    IV. 

CIVIL   AND    ECCLESIASTICAL    FREEDOM. 

CHAP.  VI. — General  Progress  of  the  Church  Since  1792. — 
I.  History  of  the  Constitution,  or  of  the  Doctrines,  Liturgy,  and 
Government  of  the  Church. — II.  Ecclesiastical  Bodies:  Churches, 
Classes,  Synods. — III.  Educational  Institutions  :  Rutgers  College, 
Union  College,  Hope  College,  Theological  Seminary  at  New  Bruns- 
wick, Western  Theological  Seminary. — IV.  The  Benevolent  Boards  : 
Board  of  Education,  Widows'  Fund  and  Disabled  Ministers'  Fund, 
Board  of  Publication,  Board  of  Domestic  Missions,  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions 183 

CHAP.  VII. — Special    Features   and    Relations. — Conservatism  . 

of  the  Church  in  Doctrine. — Its  Liberality  toward  other  Churches. 
— Correspondence  with  other  Churches. — Union  Societies. — Special 
Features  of  its  Presbyterianism. — Character  of  its  Liturgy. — Doc- 
trinal Preaching. — Its  Standards. — Its  HymnoTogy. — Character  of 
its  Ministry. — Dutch  Preaching. — Statistics. — Union  or  Federation  205 

The  Christian  Reformed  Church. — The  Secession  of  1822. — Sepa- 
ration in  1835  from  the  State  Church  of  Holland. — Emigration  to 
Michigan. — The  Christian  Reformed  Church  there  Established. — ■ 
Secession  from  the  "Reformed  Church  in  America"  in  1882. — 
Union  of  this  Secession  and  that  of  1822  with  the  Christian  Re- 
formed Church. — Statistics 211 


viii  CONTENTS. 


THE    REFORMED    CHURCH,  GERMAN, 

PAGE 

Bibliography 214 

Introductory. — The  Reformed  Church  in  Europe 221 


PERIOD   I. 

THE    BEGINNINGS    OF   THE    AMERICAN    CHURCH  (1709-47). 

CHAP.  I. — The  Great  Migration. — William  Penn. — The  Invasion 

of  the  Palatinate. — The  Emigration 233 

CHAP.  II. — The  Founders. — Parochial  Schools. — Samuel  Guldin. — 
John  Philip  Boehm. — Boehm's  Ordination. — Goetschius. — Tulpe- 
hocken  and  Lancaster 241 

CHAP.  III. — The  Mission  from  Heidellerg. — Weiss  and  Rieger. 

— John  Peter  Miller. — Monks  of  Ephrata. — Mysticism 255 

CHAP.  IV. — Congregational  Organization. — Name  of  the  Church. 

— Boehm's  Constitution , 264 

CHAP.  V. — The  "Congregation  of  God  in  the  Spirit." — Zin- 

zendorf. — Antes  and  Bechtel. — Lischy's  Hymn 271 

PERIOD    II. 

the    COETUS    of    PENNSYLVANIA  (1747-93). 

CHAP.  VI. — Michael  Schlatter. — The  Mission. — Conferences. — 
Schlatter  and  Muhlenberg. — Visit  to  Europe.  —  Charity  Schools. — 
Educational  Work .  .    278 

CHAP.   VII.— The  Coetus.— Reports  to  Holland.— Two  Parties.— 

Eminent  Ministers 290 

CHAP.  VIII. — The  Independe'^ts. — ^John  Joachim  Zubly. — Corre- 
spondence.— A  Son-  of  Liberty. — Banishment  and  Death    296 

CHAP.  IX. — The  Pietists. — Otterbein. — Baltimore. — The  Class  Sys- 
tem.— Otterbein's  Position. — The  Separation 304 

CHAP.  X. — The  Last  Years  of  the  Coetus. — Patriotic  Ministers. 
— Reformed  and  I^utherans. — .\  German  Institution. — Franklin 
College. — Separation  from  Holland 314 

PERIOD   III. 

the  synod  in  the  united  states  ( 1 793-1824). 

CHAP.  XL— The  Synod.— The  Churches.— The  Lost  Churches.— 
South  Carolina. — Rules  of  Synod. — Signs  of  Progress. — Western 
Pioneers. — Membership 324 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

CHAP.  XII. — Difficult  Problems. — English  Preaching. — Phila- 
delphia.— Correspondence. — New  Measures 338 

PERIOD    IV. 

EASTERN    AND    WESTERN    SYNODS    (1824-63). 

CHAP.  XIII. — The  Founding  of  the  TtrEOLOGicAL  Seminary. — 
Opposition. — Carl  Gock. — Lewis  Mayer. — James  Ross  Reily. — 
Daniel  Young.  .  .  .' 346 

CHAP.  XIV. — Mercersburg. — Frederick  A.  Rauch. — ^John  William- 
son Nevin. — Call  to  Mercersburg. — Ranch's  "  Psychology." — Cen- 
tenary Celebration. — Two  Ideas. — Dr.  Krummacher's  Call. — Dr. 
Schaff's  Election. — The  Inaugural  Address. — "  Mercersburg  Re- 
view."— Church  Literature. — Removal 357 

CHAP.   XV.— The  Church  in  the  West.— The  Synod  of  Ohio.— 

Dr.  J.  G.  Buettner. — German  Immigration 382 

CHAP.  XVI.— Church  Work.— M.  Kieffer  &  Co.— Widows'  Fund. 

— Christian  Activity. — Union  of  Synods 389 

PERIOD    V. 
the  general  synod  (1863- 

CHAP.  XVII. — The  Tercentenary  Year. — Tercentenary  Celebra- 
tion.— The  Second  Convention 398 

CHAP.  XVIII. — Growth  and  Advancement. — Missionaries. — The 

Mission  House. — Harbor  Mission. — Sowing  and  Planting 402 

CHAP.  XIX. — CULTUS. — Congregational  Singing. — Provisional  Lit- 
urgy.— The  Peace  Commission 4io_: 

CHAP.  XX. — Conclusion. — Christian  Union. — Institutions.— Re- 
view.— Conclusion 416 


THE    MORAVIANS. 


Bibliography 426 

Prefatory  Note 429 

CHAP.  I. — Introduction. — Christian    David. — The    Founding    of 

Herrnhut. — Resuscitation  of  the  Unity 431 

CHAP.  II. — Initiatory  Stages  in  the  United  States. — Removal 

to  Pennsylvania 439 

CHAP.  III. — Zinzendorf  in  Pennsylvania. — Religious  Condition 
of  Pennsylvania. — The  Pennsylvania  Synods. — Zinzendorf  in  Phila- 
delphia.— Results  of  Zinzendorf's  Visit 443 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAP.  IV. — The  Period  of  Gradual  Establishment. — The  Itin- 
erancy.— The  Economy. — Temporary  Fanaticism 452 

CHAP.  V. — The  Era  of  the  "  Economy,"  1749-62. — The  French 
and  Indian  War. — Indian  Missions. — Subordination  of  the  Amer- 
ican Church 459 

CHAP.  VI. — From  the  Abrogation  of  the  "  Economy"  to  the 
Founding  of  the  American  Republic,  1762-83. — Settlement 
with  Zinzendorf's  Heirs. — Church  Property. — Missions  on  the  Tus- 
carawas.— Visit  of  Bishop  J.  F.  Reichel 466 

CHAP.  VII. — The  Period  of  Dominant  European  Influence, 
1782-1812. — The  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospeh — The  Theo- 
logical Seminary 474 

CHAP.  VIII. — The  Tragedy  of  the  Indian  Missions,  and  New 
Efforts  in  the  North  and  the  South,  i 782-1830. — New  Mis- 
sion Stations. — Death  of  Zeisberger. — The  Removal  of  the  Cher- 
okees 479 

CHAP.  IX. — The  Period  of  Transition,  1813-48. — New  Enter- 
prises.— Constitutional  Changes  Presaged 486 

CHAP.  X. — The  Era  of  Home  Missions  and  Constitutional 
Development,  1848-60. — Home  Missions. — The  General  Synod 
of  1857.— The  Synod  of  1858 49i 

CHAP.  XL— The  Indian  Missions,  1830-66.— The  Cherokee  Mis- 
sion.— The  Migration  from  New  Fairfield 49^ 

CHAP.  XII. — Recent  Development. — Decentralization. — The  Mis- 
sion in  Alaska 5^3 


HISTORY  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH,  DUTCH. 


Rev.  E.  T.  CORWIN,  D.D., 

Rector  of  Hertzog  Hall,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 


/- 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


General  History. 


Altmeyer,  J.  J.,  Lcs  Preen rsenrs  de  la  Rcfonne  aiix  Pays  Bas.      2  vols., 

Paris,   i8;6. 
Baird,  Henry  W.,  Rise  of  tJie  Huguenots  of  Franee.      2  vols.,  New  York, 

1879. 
Brandt,  G.,  Histon-e  der  Keforniatie.     Amsterdam,  1671-1704.      (English 

translation,  4  vols.,  London,  1720.) 
Griffis,   William  E.,  Brave  Little  Holland,  and  ll'liat  Slie   Taught  Us, 

1894. 
Hansen,  M.  G.,  The  Refoiined  Chureh  of  the  Netherlands.     1884. 
Lie  Long',   I.,  Kort  Iiistorisch  Verhaal  van  de  Oarsprong  der  N'cd.    Geref. 

A'erhen  onder  't  Criiis.     Amsterdam,  1751. 
Motley,  J.  L,,  Rise  of  the  Duteh  Republic.     3  vols. 

,   United  Netherlands.     4  vols. 

,  John  of  Bameveldt. 

Prescott,  W.  H.,  Life  of  Philip  II. 

Steven,  William,   Brief  Vie%v  of  the  Dutch  Ecclesiastical  Establishment, 

Past  and  Present.      IVith  Acts  affecting  British  Presbyterian   Churches 

in  Holland.      1839. 
Van  Pelt,  Daniel,  A  Church  and  her  Martyrs :  An  Account  of  the  Dutch 

Church  in  Holland.      1888. 
Weiss,  M.  C,  History  of  the  French  Protestant  Refugees.      2  vols.,  1854. 

Doctrine. 

Acta  Synodi  Nationalis.      1620. 

Berg,   Joseph   F.,  History  and  Literature  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism. 

Translatinn  from  Von  Alpcn.      1863. 
Bethune,  G.  W.,  Lectures  on  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.      2  vols.,  1864. 
Bres,   Guido  de,    The  Confession  of  Faith   [Belgic  Confession].      1561; 

many  editions  in  French,  Dutch,  and  English. 
Canons  of  the  Synod  of  Dort.      16 19. 
Centennial  Discourses  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America.     1876;  2d  cd., 

Cocceius,  J.,  .Summa  doctinue  de  fadere  ct  testaniento  Dei.      Leiden,  1648; 

many  editions. 
D'Aubigne,  M.,  History  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Times  of  Calvin.    New 

York,  1 863- 1 864. 

,  Practical  Catechetics,  1882. 

xii 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  xiii 

Demarest,  D.  D.,  Dort  and  Westininster.      1890. 

Livingston,  John  H.,  System  of  Theology.  1820.  MSS.  in  Sage  Li- 
brary.    (./«  .-///(^/j'j/j  o/",  by  Rev.  Ava  Neal.      1830;  2d  ed.,  1832.) 

Marckius,  J.,  Chrisliance  TheologicE  Alediilla.      1685;  many  editions. 

Schriftcii  der  Remonstraiiten  en  Contra-remonstranten.      12  vols.,  1618. 

Scott,  Thomas,  Articles  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  etc.  With  History  of  Pre- 
ceding Events,  and  Harmony  of  Reformed  Confessions.      Utica,  1831. 

Tercentenary  Edition  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechis?n  in  Geiinan,  Latin,  and 
English.      With  an  Historical  Introduction.      1863. 

Tercentenary  Monttvient  in  Commemoration  of  the  Three-hundredth  Anni- 
versary of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.      1863. 

Thompson,  John  B.,  Heirlooms  of  Faith  and  Order  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  America.  Published  separately  and  in  Centennial  Discourses. 
1876. 

TJrsinus  and  Olevianus,  The  Heidelberg  Catechism.     1563  ;  many  editions. 

Van  Gieson,  A.  P.,  The  Type  of  Doctrine  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America,  as  Repirsented  by  the  .Symbols  of  Heidelberg  and  Dordrecht. 
Published  separately  and  in  Centennial  Disco2irses.      1876. 

,   The  Cano?ts  of  Dort.     Published  in  Conference  o)i  Union  between  the 

Reformed  Church  in  America  and  the  Reformed  Church  i)i  the  United 
States.      1888. 

Vinke,  H.  E.,  Libri  Symbolici  Ecclesia;  Refoi-m.  Ned.     Utrecht,  1846. 

Witsius,  H.,  De  a'conomia  fa'derum  Dei  cum  ho7ninibits.  1677;  many 
editions  in  Latin,  Dutch,  and  English. 

Woodbridge,  Samuel  M.,  Analysis  of  Systematic  Theology.      1872. 

Liturgy. 

A  Lasco,  J. ,  Forma  ac  Ratio  tola  Ecclesiastici  Ministerii  in  Peregrinorum 
pptissimutn  vera  Gernmnorum  in  Anglia  per  pientissimum  Principe  in 
Angliic,  etc.      Regem  Edimrdum  ejus  nominis  sextu.      1550. 

Baird,  Charles  W.,  is// /tfx/rt/  or.  The  Presbyterian  Liturgies.      1S55. 

Demarest,  D.  D,,  Liturgical  Spirit  and  Features  of  the  Reformed  Chuirh 
in  America.      Published  separately  and  in  Centennial  Discourses.    1876. 

,  Practical  Liturgies.     1895. 

Government. 

Articles  on  Church  Government,  in  Acta  Syjtodi  Nationalis.      1620. 
Constitution  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Chuirh  in  the  United  States.     New  York, 

1^793-      (This    contains    Standards    of   Doctrine,  Liturgy,  and  Rules  of 

Church  Government.)      ist  ed.  in  English,  1793;   2d  ed.,  1815;   many 

editions,  in  whole  or  in  part,  since. 
Digest  of  Rules  and  Church  Orders,  I'jg4-i8i4.      Printed  as  an  Appendix 

to  the  Minutes  of  General  Synod,   1814,   pp.   59-83.      Revised,   1848; 

revised,  1869. 

American  Church  History. 

Amsterdam  Correspondence,  consisting  of  about  Twelve  Hi/ndred  Letters  or 
Documents  between  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  and  the  Dutch  Ministers  in 
America,  ibsS-iyyb.      In  Archives  of  the  General  .Synod. 

Asher,  G,  M.,  Bibliography  of  Ne7V  Netherland.    Amsterdam,  1854-1867. 


XIV  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Baird,  Charles  W.,  The Ilugitcnot  Emigration  to  America.  2  vols.,  1885. 
Brinkerhoff,  Jacob,  History  of  the  Trite  Reformed  Dutch  Church.  1873. 
Brodhead,  J.  R.,   History  of  State  of  A'nv  York.     Vol.  i.,  1853;  vol.  ii., 

1871  ;    vol.  iii.,  in  MSS. — this  ought  to  be  printed. 
Campbell,  Douglass,   The  Puritan  in  Holland,  England,  and  America. 

2  vols.,    1892. 

Centennial  Discourses.  1876;  2d  ed.,  1877.  Twenty-two  historical  dis- 
courses on  the  doctrines,  polity,  history,  peculiar  features  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  America.  (Ed.  of  1876  contains  Professor  Livingston's  Latin 
Inaugural,  1785.  In  2d  ed.  an  elaborate  Index  takes  the  place  of  the 
Inaugural.) 
Coetiis,  Minutes  of,  ly^y-iy^^. 

[Large   material    pertaining  to  the  history  of  the   Dutch   Church,  1750- 
1770,  will  be  found  in  : 

Beardsley,  E.  E.,  Life  and  Correspondence  of  Samuel  Johnson,  D.D. 

1S74. 
Chandler,  T.  B.,  Life  of  Samuel  Johnson,  D.D.     1805. 
Livingston,    William,    The    Independent    Reflector;    or.    Weekly 

Essays.      1753. 
Moore,  N.  F.,  History  of  Columbia  College.      (The  Appendix  of  the 
Centennial  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Neto  Brunswick,  A^.  J. 
[1884],  contains  copies  of  most  of  the  documents  pertaining  to 
the  proposed  Dutch  professorship  in  King's  College,  1755.) 
Sedgewick,  Theodore,  Memoir  of  William  Livingston.      1833. 
Smith,  William,  History  of  Ncm  York.      18 14.] 
Corwin,  E.  T.,  Manual  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church.      Small 
4to,  1859,  pp.  166.     2d  ed..  Manual  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America. 
1869,  8vo,  pp.  397;  3d  ed.,  1879,  pp.  676,  Plates.      (A  complete  Bibli- 
ography will  be  found  in  the  third  edition  of  Manual,  under  the  names 
of  ministers  and  churches.) 
Demarest,   D.    D.,   History  and  Characteristics  of  the  Reformed  Protest- 
ant Dutch    Church.       i2mo,   pp.    221,    1856.       2d  ed..    The   Reformed 
Church    in    America :    Its    Origin,    Development,    and    Characteristics. 
8vo,  pp.  210,  1889. 

,   The  Huguenots  on  the  Hackensack.      1886. 

Documentary  History  of  A\-70  York.     4  vols.,  1850-1851. 

Doci'.inents  relating  to  the  Colonial  History  of  New  York.      14  vols.,  1856- 

1883.      Index  in  additional  volume. 
Griffis,   William  E,,   Influence  of  the  Netherhmds  in  the  Making  of  the 
English  Commonwealth  and  the  American  Republic.      The  Pilgrims  in 
ylm  erica.     1891. 
Gunn,  Alexander,  Memoir  of  Rez\  John  H.  Livingston.     1829;  2d  ed., 

1S56.      (Contains  much  of  general  historical  interest.) 
Huguenot  Society  of  A^ew  York,  Collections  of.      1883  onward. 
Lamb,  Mrs.  Martha,  History  of  the  City  of  AW>  York.      2  vols.,  1877. 
Magazine  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch   Church.     4  vols.,  1827-1830. 
(This  was  succeeded  by  the  Christian  Intelligencer,  a  weekly  religious 
paper,  whose  files  are  replete  with  valuable  historical  material.) 
Munsell,  Joel,  Aniials  of  Albany.      10  vols.,  1850-1859. 
A^eio  A\-therlaiut,  Laws  aiul  Ordinances  of,  i6'^S-i6y4.      Albany,  1868. 
Rutgers  College,   Bradley,  Hon.  Joseph  P.,  Historical  Discourse  at  the 
Centefinial  Celebration  of.      1870,  pp.  98. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  XV 

Rutgers  College,  Doolittle,  T,  S.,  Histoy  of.     In  College  Book.      1876. 
,  Doolittle,   T.    S.,   History  of.      In  3d  ed.    of  Manual  of  the  Re- 
formed C/iiurk  in  Anieriea,  1879,  pp.  83-97. 

-,  Phraner,  W.  H.,  History  of.      In  2d  ed.   of  Manual  of  the  Re- 


formed Chturh  in  America,   1869,  pp.  333-350. 

Sprague,  W.  B,,  Annals  of  the  American  Reformed  Dutch  Pulpit.    Vol.  ix., 
1869. 

Synods,  Minutes  of  the  [Provisional]  Synod,  lyji-ijgj  ;  and  of  the  [First] 
Particular  Synod,  I'jg^—i'jgg. 

— ,  Minutes  of  the   General  Synod,   ijg4  to  Present    Time.      18  vols. 

(^About  forty  complete  sets  in  existence,  including  the  earlier  Synods 
and  the  Coetus.  All  found  in  the  so-called  vol.  i.  of  the  Minutes  of  the 
General  Synod. ) 

Theological  Seminary  at  Nezv  Britnswick,  N.  J.,  History  of.  In  Manual, 
1st  ed.,  1859,  pp.  147-154;  in  2d  ed.,  1869,  pp.  352-366;  in  3d  ed., 
1879,  pp.  98-116. 

Centennial  of  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America,  at  Ah'w  Brunsivick,  A'.  J.  With  an  Appendix,  containing 
copious  historical  notes.      1884,  pp.  526. 

Theological-  Seminary,  Western,  at  Holland,  Michigan,  Crispell,  C.  E, 
In  Manual  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America,  3d  ed.,  1879,  pp. 
120-128. 

Van  Pelt,  Daniel,  Pictures  of  Early  Church  Life  in  N'ew  York  City. 
1893. 

Vermilye,  A.  G.,  The  Huguenot  Element  among  the  Dutch.  In  Centen- 
nial Discourses.      1876. 

Wilson,  James  Grant,  The  Memorial  History  of  Nezv  York.  4  vols., 
1892.  (Wliile  many  of  the  articles  in  this  work  touch  more  or  less  on 
Dutch  history,  we  call  especial  attention  to  Rev.  Daniel  van  Pelt's  article 
on  "The  Antecedents  of  New  Netherland  and  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company  "  ;  to  Berthold  Fernow's  article  on  "  Peter  Stuyvesant,  the  Last 
of  the  Dutch  Directors,"  and  "  Schools,  Colleges,  and  Seminaries  ";  to 
Rev.  Dr.  A.  G.  Vermilye's  articles  on  "  The  Period  of  the  Leisler 
Troubles,"  and  "  The  Earl  of  Bellomont  and  Suppression  of  Piracy"; 
to  Robert  L.  Fowler's  article  on  "  Constitutional  and  Legal  History  of 
New  York  in  the  Eighteenth  Century  "  ;  to  Rev.  Dr.  Morgan  Dix's  article 
on  "  History  of  Trinity  Parish  ";  to  Rev.  Dr.  B.  F.  De  Costa's  article 
on  "The  Early  Huguenots  of  Manhattan";  to  Bishop  Potter's  article 
on  "  The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.") 

Foreign  Missions. 

Abeel,  David,  Residence  in  China.      1834. 

,   The  Missionary   Convention  at  Jerusaletn ;  or,  The  Claims  of  the 

World  to  the  Gospel.      1838. 
Amerman,  James  L.,  Sketch  of  the  Japan  Mission.     Maps.      1889. 
Annual  Reports  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  since  1831,  and  the  Synod- 

ical  Reports  since  1816. 
Cobb,  Henry  N,,  Far  Hence:  A   Budget  of  Letters  from  our  Mission 

Fields.      1893. 
Constitution  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.      1857. 


XVI  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Duryee,  William  R.,  Grrcuth  and  Present  Aspects  of  Protestant  Missions. 

1883. 
,   The  Missiofiary  Work  Abroad  [of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Anierica]. 

In  Centennial  Discourses.      1876. 
Fagg,  I.  G.,  Life  of  Rev.  John  V.  N.  Talmage.      1895. 
History  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church.      In  Manual  of  the 

Reformed  Church,    1st   ed.,  1859,   pp.   143-146;   2d   ed.,  1869,   by   Dr. 

J.  M.  Ferris,   pp.   372-392;   3d  ed.,  1879,   by  J.  M.  F.,  pp.    135-151, 

676.      (See  also  sketches  of  the  missionaries  mentioned  on  p.  676;  also 

the  mission  churches,  pp.  583,  598-602.) 
Manual  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Dutch   Church   in  America. 

Issued  by  the  Woman's   Board  of  Foreign  Missions.     Edited  by  Mrs. 

Margaret  E.  Sangster.      1877. 
Manual  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Amer- 
ica.    For  the  use  of  missionary  candidates  under  appointment  and  in 

their  fields  of  labor.  1885. 
Missionary  Herald.  1 8 1 9-1 85 7. 
Pitclier,  P.  W.,  Fifty  yea)-s  in  Atnoy;  or,  History  of  the  Amoy  Mission. 

1893. 
Stout,  Henry,  History  of  the  South  Japan  Mission.      1 894. 
Talmage,    John  V.   N.,    History  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Relations  of  the 

Churches  at  Amoy.      1863. 

,  Sketch  of  the' Amoy  Mission.      Maps.      1888. 

Tennent,  Sir  James  E.,  Christianity  in  Ceylon.     London,  1850. 

Van  Troostenburg  de  Bruyn,  C.  A.  L.,  Predikant  laatstelijke  te  Ba- 

tavia,   De  Hen'ormde  Kerk  in  iVederlansche  Oost-Indie  ondcr  de  Oost 

Indische   Compaigiie,    1602-iyg^.      Arnheim,    H.   A.   Tjeenk  Willink 

1884,  8vo,  pp.  705. 
Waterbury,  J.  B.,  Life  of  Rev.  Dr.  John  Scudder.      1870. 
Williamson,  George  R.,  Memoir  of  Rev.  David  Aheel.      1848. 
'^YG)s.o%Zo\iXL'S..,  Sketch  of  the  Arcot  Mission.     Maps.      1886. 


PREFACE. 


The  Reformed  Church  in  America  is  rich  in  material 
for  history.  The  limited  space,  however,  allowed  to  this 
branch  of  the  church  in  this  American  Church  History 
Series  has  been  a  constant  source  of  difficulty  and  regret. 
For  more  than  half  a  century  the  Dutch  Church  was  the 
only  church  on  Manhattan  Island  and  along  the  Hudson. 
Hence  her  early  history  covers  a  period  of  time  not  covered 
by  that  of  any  other  religious  body.  But  the  ecclesiastical 
history  of  this  period  (1628—64),  as  well  as  that  of  the  follow- 
ingperiod(i664-i7o8),has  never  yet  been  adequately  elab- 
orated in  all  its  bearings,  and  with  a  due  regard  to  all  the 
circumstances  and  relations  involved.  Indeed,  a  general 
ecclesiastical  history  of  this  part  of  New  York,  down  to 
the  Revolution,  is  a  desideratum.  The  writer  has  some- 
what enlarged  on  the  history  of  these  two  earlier  periods 
as  the  foundation  of  the  subsequent  general  history. 

As  the  early  French  churches  were  at  first  more  closely 
connected  with  the  Dutch  Church  than  with  any  other,  the 
writer  has  also  touched  upon  their  history  as  occasion  re- 
quired. 

The  history  of  the  attempt  to  secure  a  professor  of 
divinity  for  the  Dutch  in  King's  College  has  also  been 
somewhat  expanded,  as  it  excited  intense  interest  at  the 
time,  and  because  the  fact  and  the  peculiar  complications 
resulting  therefrom  are  not  generally  known.     But  the  his- 


xviii  PREFACE. 

tory  of  the  sad  division  in  the  Dutch  Church  known  as  the 
Coetus  and  Conferentie  controversy,  which  resulted  largely 
from  the  attempt  to  secure  that  professorship,  having  been 
sufficiently  treated  in  chapter  v.  of  the  "  Manual  of  the 
Reformed  Church  "  (1879),  and  not  being  of  general  inter- 
est, has  been  dwelt  on  only  briefly.  So,  also,  it  did  not 
seem  necessary,  even  if  space  had  permitted,  to  elaborate 
on  the  history  of  the  literary  and  theological  institutions, 
as  these  have  been  amply  treated  in  other  works. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  America  has  always  taken 
special  interest  in  foreign  missions,  and  a  chapter  had 
been  devoted  to  this  theme  ;  but  the  small  allotment  of 
space  compelled  the  writer  to  cut  this  subject  down  to  a 
mere  outline,  as  well  as  the  concluding  chapter  upon  the 
Special  Features  and  Relations  of  the  church.  The  abridg- 
ment of  this  latter  chapter  could  be  the  better  done,  how- 
ever, because  of  the  valuable  work  of  Rev.  Dr.  David  D. 
Demarest  upon  the  "  Origin,  Development,  and  Charac- 
teristics of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America"  (1889),  in 
which  these  topics  are  admirably  presented.  May  this 
American  Church  History  Series  help  all  the  different 
Christian  bodies  to  understand  one  another  better,  and 
lead,  through  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  to  closer  coopera- 
tion in  the  great  practical  work  of  bringing  our  country 
and  the  world  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ! 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  EUROPE — NAME  AND 
ORIGIN. 

The  Reformed  Church  is  the  technical  name  of  that 
great  division  of  Protestantism  which  had  its  rise  in  Switzer- 
land in  15  i6  under  Zwingli.  It  was  contemporary  with, 
but  independent  of,  the  Lutheran  Reformation,  and  stands 
distinct  from  the  Lutheran  Church.  It  was  subsequently 
more  fully  developed  and  organized  under  Calvin,  with  a 
distinct  type  of  doctrine  and  a  Presbyterian  polity.  While 
the  name  Reformed  was  chiefly  confined  to  churches  on 
the  Continent,  it  is  well  understood  that  this  term  also 
embraced  Protestantism  under  all  its  forms  in  the  British 
Isles.  Cranmer  gave  doctrinal  shape  to  English  Protest- 
antism in  the  Anglican  communion  in  the  days  of  Edward 
VI.  (1547-53),  being  the  principal  compiler  of  the  Thirty- 
nine  Articles  and  the  Prayer-book.  The  persecutions 
under  Mary  (1553-58)  drove  the  best  of  the  English  Re- 
formers to  Switzerland,  whence  some  of  them  brought  back 
the  principles  which  developed  into  Puritanism,  while  John 
Knox  carried  back  to  Scotland  with  him  the  principles  of 
Presbyterianism. 

DOCTRINE. 

The  fundamental  thought  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  was  the  DIVINE  SOVEREIGNTY,  to  which 
the  proud  human  will  must  always  bow  subordinate.    The 

I 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

DOCTRINES  OF  GRACE,  as  they  are  called,  were  emphasized. 
These  doctrines  are  exhibited  in  the  confessions  of  faith 
of  each  country  where  the  Reformed  Church  prevailed : 
in  Switzerland  in  the  Helvetic  Confession ;  in  France  in 
the  Galilean ;  in  Holland  in  the  Belgic ;  in  England  in  the 
Seventeenth  Article  of  the  Thirt3/-nine  Articles  and  in  the 
Westminster  Confession ;  and  finally  these  doctrines  were 
revised  and  formulated  anew  in  the  Canons  of  the  Synod 
of  Dort  (1618-19)  by  representatives  of  all  the  churches 
above  alluded  to,  besides  some* churches  from  other  Euro- 
pean states. 

The  doctrinal  system  of  Calvin,  as  thus  presented,  was 
more  or  less  modified  at  an  early  period  by  the  so-called 
federal  theology,  which  was  first  thoroughly  formulated 
by  Cocceius  (1609-69).  Witsius  subsequently  became 
its  chief  defender  (1636-1708).  Later  modifications  of 
the  system  of  Calvin  were  attempted  at  the  school  of 
Saumur  in  France,  by  Fuller  in  England,  and  by  Jonathan 
Edwards  and  others  in  America. 

POLITY. 

Calvin  also  brought  order  out  of  confusion  by  thoroughly 
formulating  a  Presbyterian  polity  of  church  government. 
He  distinguished  the  extraordinary  offices  of  the  church 
in  apcstolic  times  from  the  ordinary  in  later  times,  and 
divided  them  into  four  classes,  viz.,  ministers,  teachers  (or 
professors),  elders,  and  deacons.  Yet  he  did  not  insist  on 
this  as  the  only  possible  polity,  nor  was  he  inflexible  as  to 
the  mode  of  election  of  these  officers.  So,  also,  the  sev- 
eral grad^  of  ecclesiastical  bodies  which  he  proposed, 
such  as  Consistories,  Classes,  local  Synod.s,  and  a  General 
Synod,  were  not  necessarily  binding,  but  were  matters  of 
expediency. 

It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  faith  of  the  Reformed 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

Church,  as  originally  formulated,  together  with  its  Pres- 
byterian polity,  did  more  for  the  development  of  modern 
civilization,  including  republican  institutions,  than  any  other 
system. 

DOCTRINE  OF  THE  SUPPER  AND   SEPARATION  OF  THE 
LUTHERAN  AND   REFORMED, 

In  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord's  Supper  Calvin  also  modi- 
fied ZwingU's  views.  The  great  colloquy  at  Marburg  (1529) 
for  the  purpose  of  consolidating  the  Swiss  and  German 
Reformations,  including  as  it  did  the  discussion  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Supper,  has  left  a  deep  impress,  even  to  this 
fiay,  upon  Protestantism.  Then  began  the  real  separation 
of  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches,  as  they  subse- 
quently came  to  be  called.  Luther  held  to  the  more  lit- 
eral interpretation  of  the  words,  "This  is  my  body,"  and 
was  unyielding,  while  Zwingli  held  to  what  seemed  to  him 
the  only  rational  meaning  of  the  words — that  the  bread 
and  wine  represented  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  and 
that  the  Supper  was  therefore  chiefly  a  memorial :  "  This 
do  in  remembrance  of  me."  Subsequently  Calvin,  while 
holding  the  memorial  view,  emphasized  the  fact  of  the 
spiritual  presence  of  Christ  at  the  Supper,  and  that  he 
was  spiritually  received  by  the  spiritual  and  believing  wor- 
shiper. It  was  chiefly  on  these  differences  about  the  Sup- 
per that  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches  separated. 

HISTORY   OF   THE    REFORMED   CHURCH — SWITZERLAND. 

ZwingH  was  soon  cut  off  in  battle  (1531),  but  not  before 
a  large  proportion  of  the  German  cantons  of  Switzerland 
had  embraced  the  Reformed  faith.  The  good  work  was 
further  carried  on  in  that  land  by  the  irenic  CEcolampadius 
and  the  intrepid  and   eloquent  Farel,  and,  as  already  in- 


4  INTRODUCTION. 

timated,  by  Calvin,  learned  and  severe,  but  possessed  of 
almost  unequaled  executive  ability.  He  came  a  refugee 
from  France  in  1536,  the  same  year  in  which  he  pub- 
lished his  "  Institutes  of  the  Christian  Religion."  The 
judicious  labors  of  Bullinger,  also  (1504-75),  in  guiding 
the  infant  church,  and  his  remarkable  influence  upon  the 
English  refugees  while  in  Switzerland,  ought  not  to  be  for- 
gotten ;  nor  the  learning,  wit,  and  eloquence  of  Beza  (15 19— 
1605).  His  translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  Latin 
left  its  distinct  impress  upon  King  James's  version  of  our 
English  Bible. 

GERMANY. 

From  Switzerland  the  Reformed  faith  passed  over  into 
the  Palatinate,  in  the  days  of  Frederick  HI.,  and  was  joy- 
fully received.  Here  the  Reformed  Church  of  Germany 
was  born.  Here  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  which  has 
exerted  an  almost  unequaled  influence  upon  Protestant- 
ism, was  written  by  Ursinus  and  Olevianus  in  1563.  This 
catechism  was  also  adopted  at  an  early  period  by  the 
Church  of  Scotland  as  one  of  its  symbolical  books. 

From  the  Palatinate  the  Reformed  Church  extended 
northward,  finding  a  congenial  soil  in  many  of  the  Ger- 
man states,  and  quickly  penetrated  as  far  as  Bremen.  It 
also  extended  into  Bohemia,  Poland,  Spain,  and  Italy,  but 
in  these  countries  it  was  soon  destroyed  by  persecution. 

FRANCE. 

In  France  it  met  with  great  opposition,  and  many  of  its 
earlier  adherents  were  forced  to  leave  the  country.  Never- 
theless its  success  was  so  great  that  a  Protestant  Synod 
was  held  at  Paris  in  1559,  representing  more  than  two  thou- 
sand congregations.  This  Synod  revised  and  approved  the 
original  confession  of  Calvin.     Beza  presented  it  in  1561 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

to  Charles  IX.  at  Poissy,  where  he  pleaded  earnestly  for 
evangelical  truth,  and  made  a  deep  impression.  It  was 
soon  published  as  the  creed  of  the  French  Reformed 
Church,  and  is  known  as  the  Gallican  Confession.  It  was 
amended  at  the  Synod  of  Rochelle  in  15  71,  and  is  some- 
times styled  the  Confession  of  Rochelle.  It  was  at  this 
colloquy  at  Poissy  that  the  distinctive  name  THE  RE- 
FORMED Church  originated.  It  was  the  old  apostoHcal 
church,  freed  from  the  errors  and  superstitions  which  had 
attached  themselves  to  it,  and  now  restored  to  its  primi- 
tive purity  and  excellence.  This  is  the  old  historic  name, 
far  nobler  and  broader  than  names  which  simply  refer  to 
a  form  of  polity  or  to  an  individual  Reformer.  But  in  1572 
occurred  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew's  Day,  which 
caused  the  death  of  at  least  twenty  thousand  Protestants. 
But  truth  again  took  courage  of  despair.  In  the  war  which 
ensued  they  obtained  remarkably  favorable  terms,  which 
prepared  the  way  for  the  Edict  of  Nantes  (1598),  by  which 
they  secured  almost  unlimited  toleration.  For  eighty- 
seven  years  this  edict  remained  in  force  (1598— 1685),  and 
this  period  represents  the  halcyon  days  of  the  Reformed 
Church  of  France.  Great  preachers  adorned  the  Protestant 
pulpits,  such  as  Jean  Daille,  Saurin,  Du  Bosc,  and  Claude. 
Protestant  schools  were  established  everywhere,  with  thirty 
colleges  and  eight  universities,  of  which  the  most  cele- 
brated was  that  at  Saumur.  The  twenty-ninth  and  last 
General  Synod  was  held  in  1659.  The  Edict  of  Nantes  was 
not  revoked  until  1685,  although  the  French  Protestants, 
a  million  in  number,  had  been  much  annoyed  and  ham- 
pered for  many  years  before.  The  total  number  of  fugi- 
tives before  and  after  the  Revocation  was  at  least  a 
half  million.  They  were  hospitably  received  in  all  the 
neighboring  countries,  which  they  enriched  with  their  arts 
and  character.      Multitudes  of  them  came  to  America. 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE    NETHERLANDS. 


In  the  Netherlands  the  Reformation  met  with  a  most 
hearty  welcome.  Entering  from  Germany,  it  afterward 
received  its  chief  impetus  from  Switzerland  and  France ; 
hence  its  distinctive  type  of  the  Reformed  doctrine  and 
more  democratic  polity.  But  here,  as  elsewhere,  there 
had  been  a  great  preparation  made  by  reformers  before  the 
Reformation.  Gerard  Groot  (1340-84)  had  made  a  deep 
impression  by  his  eloquence  and  enthusiasm.  He  taught 
that  religion  was  a  matter  of  the  heart,  and  not  dependent 
on  priest  and  ceremony.  He  founded  in  1382  the  com- 
munity known  as  the  Brotherhood  of  the  Common  Life. 
The  members  lived  together  for  the  study  of  the  Scriptures 
and  the  cultivation  of  practical  piety.  They  used  the  ver- 
nacular tongue  in  reading  the  Bible,  as  well  as  in  preach- 
ing and  prayer.  Indeed,  the  Bible  had  been  translated  into 
Dutch  as  early  as  1477,  and  many  editions  were  published. 
These  brethren  gained  their  livelihood  by  manual  labor, 
by  the  transcription  of  books,  and  especially  by  teaching. 
They  were  not  allowed  to  beg.  This  fact  placed  them  in 
striking  contrast  with  all  the  orders  of  monks.  They  were 
very  popular  throughout  the  land.  Their  schools  became 
famous.  From  them  came  some  of  the  best  teachers  in 
Europe,  and  also  such  men  as  Thomas  a  Kempis  (1380- 
1471),  who  wrote  "The  Imitation  of  Christ,"  a  book  even 
now  published  by  Protestants ;  Wessel  Gansevoort  and 
Rudolph  Agricola,  with  their  evangelical  teaching  and 
preachng  fifty  years  before  Luther;  and  Erasmus  (1465- 
1536),  the  father  of  biblical  criticism.  He  refused  to  take 
monkish  vows,  and  gave  to  the  world  in  15  16  a  new  edi- 
tion of  the  Greek  Testament,  with  a  purer  text  than  had 
existed  before,  as  well  as  an  elegant  Latin  version  of  the 
same.    Indeed,  the  graduates  of  the  schools  of  this  brother- 


INTRODUCTION,  7 

hood  became  the  heroes  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Nether- 
lands. 

We  can  only  allude  to  the  Anabaptists.  While  some 
of  them  were  wild  and  extravagant  fanatics,  others  were 
sweet  evangelical  Christians,  who  suffered  not  a  little  for 
the  truth  as  they  understood  it.  Others  were  mystics  in 
their  views.  Menno  Simons,  a  converted  priest  (1492- 
1559),  joined  them  in  1535,  and  was  a  power  for  good 
among  them.  While  undoubtedly  defective  in  some  of 
their  doctrinal  views,  yet  they  emphasized  the  work  of 
the  Spirit  upon  the  heart.  They  settled  all  differences  by 
arbitration,  and  insisted  on  the  strictest  morality.  They 
stood  for  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and  advocated  a  sep- 
aration of  church  and  state.  They  were  an  important 
factor  in  the  Reformation  in  Holland.  The  desire  of  some 
of  their  children  to  join  the  Reformed  Church  was  the  im- 
mediate occasion  of  the  preparation  of  a  Form  for  Adult 
Baptism,  in  1604.  In  many  respects  they  resembled  the 
Society  of  Friends  in  England. 

MARTYRS   AND    EXILES. 

Now  Charles  V.  (1519-55),  and  his  son,  Philip  II.  (155 5- 
81),  foolishly  thought  that  they  could  turn  back  this  great 
tide  of  reform  and  extirpate  heresy.  Edicts  denouncing 
heretics,  and  condemning  them  to  torture  and  execution, 
were  issued  frequently  during  a  generation  (1520-50). 
The  monks,  John  Esch  and  Henry  Voes,  for  their  evan- 
gelical teaching,  were  burned  at  Brussels  as  early  as  1523, 
and  were  perhaps  the  first  martyrs  of  the  Reformation. 
Pistorius  suffered  the  same  fate  two  years  later,  and  un- 
counted persecutions  and  torturings  and  martyrdoms  fol- 
lowed. But  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  was  the  seed  of  the 
church.  It  would  seem  that  scores  of  converts  must  have 
sprung  up  for  every  martyr.     Many  fled  to  escape  the 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

cruel  edicts.  Not  a  few  went  to  England,  where  as  early 
as  1546  Edward  VI.  gave  them  the  spacious  church  of 
Austin  Friars  in  London,  which  is  used  by  the  Dutch  to 
this  day.  Protests  were  made  by  Orange,  Egmont,  and 
Hoorn  against  the  violence  of  the  government,  which  led 
to  the  displacement  of  Cardinal  Granvella  (1564),  one  of 
the  principal  instruments  of  the  persecutions.  Meanwhile 
the  Council  of  Trent  had  been  in  session  (1545-63),  and 
had  issued  its  decrees  against  heretics.  Philip  now,  with 
blind  fatality,  determined  to  enforce  these  decrees.  It  was 
this  step  which  led  to  the  beginning  of  organized  resist- 
ance, the  humiliation  of  Spain,  and  all  the  glories  of  the 
Dutch  Republic. 

In  1565  a  covenant  was  entered  into  by  a  few  patriots 
at  Brussels  to  resist  the  Spanish  yoke  and  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  Inquisition.  The  following  year  four  hundred 
nobles  went  on  foot  to  the  court  of  the  regent,  Margaret 
of  Parma,  a  natural  daughter  of  Charles  V.,  and  earnestly 
petitioned  for  protection  from  persecution,  and  for  religious 
toleration.  One  of  the  councilors  referred  to  the  petition- 
ers, coming  as  they  did  on  foot,  as  a  troop  of  beggars. 
The  phrase  was  overheard,  and  at  a  banquet  that  evening 
it  was  eagerly  adopted  by  the  young  nobles  as  a  party 
name — Lcs  Giienx.  A  league  was  formed  called  the  League 
of  Beggars,  and  the  term  became  a  rallying-cry  of  great 
power.  Orange,  Egmont,  and  Hoorn,  though  they  had  at 
first  stood  aloof,  dropped  in  at  the  banquet  of  the  nobles 
and  drank  health  to  "  The  Beggars."  As  if  by  a  common 
instinct,  the  people  everywhere  accepted  of  the  title,  and 
wore  medals  to  indicate  their  position.  Delegations  were 
sent  to  Philip  to  ask  for  relief,  but  they  accomplished  noth- 
ing. Field-preaching  now,  under  the  protection  of  armed 
men,  did  much  to  evangelize  the  people  and  inspire  them 
to  resist  oppression.     Herman  Stryker  and  John  Arentsen 


INTROD  UCTION. 


9 


were  among  the  first  of  these  field-preachers,  and  the  prac- 
tice soon  spread  all  over  the  land.  The  hymns  of  Beza 
and  Marot  were  also  of  great  service,  not  only  for  devotion, 
but  for  instruction,  and  in  exciting  enthusiasm.  The  peo- 
ple soon  rose  in  their  might,  and  the  churches  throughout 
the  land  were  quickly  shorn  of  the  symbols  of  superstition 
and  idolatry.  Monasteries  and  nunneries  were  destroyed. 
The  church  buildings  were  whitewashed  to  indicate  their 
purification,  and  preaching  and  simple  devotions  took  the 
place  of  ceremonialism.  The  Lily  among  Thorns  became 
the  emblem  of  the  church. 

Philip  now  resolved  utterly  to  extirpate  heresy  at  all 
hazards.  The  Duke  of  Alva  came  into  the  country  with 
twenty  thousand  mercenary  troops,  and  a  work  of  carnage 
and  martyrdom,  on  a  scale  perhaps  unequaled,  was  begun. 
Alva  was  made  regent.  During  six  years  (1567-73)  one 
hundred  thousand  men  lost  their  lives.  He  established  a 
Council  on  Disturbances  to  ferret  out  heretics.  The  peo- 
ple called  it  the  Council  of  Blood.  Death  was  decreed 
against  every  one  tainted  in  the  slightest  degree  with 
heresy.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Egmont  and  Hoorn  lost 
their  lives.  Myriads  of  the  best  citizens  fled  the  country. 
They  went  to  Germany,  Denmark,  and  especially  to  Eng- 
land. Eight  Dutch  churches  soon  sprang  up  in  London, 
not  to  speak  of  others  in  many  other  places.  Not  a  few 
of  the  refugees  Anglicized  their  names,  and  their  descend- 
ants were  found  among  the  Independents  in  England,  and 
some  of  them  ultimately  came  to  New  England.  Eng- 
land was  greatly  benefited  by  the  useful  arts  which  they 
introduced. 

DELIVERANCE. 

But  deliverance  was  near  at  hand.  William  of  Orange 
(1533-84)  was  raised  up  by  Providence  to  save  the  nation 


lO  INTJWDUCTION. 

and  make  it  a  shining  example  to  all  future  time  of  perse- 
verance in  a  good  cause  unto  victory.  William  had  been 
honored  by  many  offices  of  trust.  He  had  listened  in 
silence  to  Henry  H.,  who  had  told  him  of  a  plot  to  destroy 
all  Protestants  in  France  and  the  Netherlands ;  hence 
his  surname  of  "the  Silent."  But  he  was  horrified  at 
the  recital.  And  now  with  the  arrival  of  Alva  he  could 
no  longer  conscientiously  remain  in  the  service  of  Philip. 
He  retired  to  Germany  and  became  a  Protestant.  He 
was  outlawed,  but  ultimately  raised  an  army,  and  was 
more  than  a  match  for  Philip.  He  fought  the  Spaniards 
not  only  by  land  but  by  sea,  and  took  some  rich  prizes. 
In  1572  the  "  water-beggars  "  took  Briel,  and  this  was  the 
turning  of  the  tide.  After  the  siege  of  Harlem,  which 
cost  Alva  twelve  thousand  of  his  troops,  together  with  the 
mutinies  which  followed,  Alva  was  glad  to  seek  recall  from 
the  country  in  1573.  With  the  siege  of  Leyden  (1574) 
the  Spanish  efforts  were  further  frustrated.  Orange  was 
soon  able  to  enter  upon  a  series  of  negotiations  which  re- 
sulted in  the  Pacification  of  Ghent  (1576),  in  which  the 
seventeen  provinces  bound  themselves  together  to  drive 
out  the  Spaniards  and  to  establish  freedom  of  religion. 
Many  intrigues  followed.  The  southern  provinces  with- 
drew from  the  compact,  leaving  Belgium  Roman  Catholic. 
The  Protestants  of  that  country  now  fled  to  Holland,  and 
are  known  as  Walloons — of  whom  more  in  a  subsequent 
chapter.  In  1579  was  signed  the  Union  OF  Utrecht, 
consisting  of  the  seven  northern  provinces,  and  this  union 
became  the  foundation  of  the  Dutch  Republic.  They 
adopted  as  their  motto,  EcndracJit  juaakt  macJit — "  a  united 
pull  gives  power,"  or  "  union  makes  strength."  This  ought 
now  to  be  made  the  motto  of  Protestantism  in  the  federa- 
tion of  all  evangelical  churches.  In  1581  the  States-Gen- 
eral or  senate  of  Holland  deposed  Philip  as  unworthy  to 


INTRODUCTION.  1 1 

be  recognized  any  longer  as  their  king,  and  issued  their 
Declaration  of  Independence.  In  this  they  declare  that  a 
prince  is  appointed  by  God  to  defend  and  preserve  his 
subjects,  and  not  to  oppress  and  persecute  and  murder 
them;  that  the  subjects  were  not  created  for  the  sake  of 
the  prince,  to  obey  him  whatever  might  be  his  character, 
but  that  the  prince  was  made  for  the  subjects,  to  govern 
them  justly  and  be  a  father  unto  them ;  that  if  he  does  not 
act  thus,  he  is  a  tyrant,  and  ought  no  longer  to  be  recog- 
nized, and  another  should  be  chosen  in  his  place.  Hence 
they  declared  that  from  necessity  the  king  of  Spain  was 
ipso  jure  deposed  from  his  sovereignty  over  the  Low 
Countries,  and  they  would  no  longer  use  his  name  or  per- 
mit others  to  use  it  as  their  sovereign. 

THE    DUTCH   REPUBLIC. 

Thus  arose  the  Dutch  Republic.  The  wonders  of  her 
career  cannot  here  be  described — her  constitution  ;  her 
wars ;  her  diplomacy ;  her  universities,  scholars,  and  di- 
vines ;  her  power  on  the  sea ;  her  great  commercial  com- 
panies ;  her  colonies  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  America ;  her 
riches ;  her  toleration  of  all  sects ;  her  welcome  to  the  Pil- 
grims and  other  dissenters  from  the  British  Isles."  The 
war,  of  course,  went  on,  with  periods  of  truce ;  but  it  was 
not  until  1648,  at  the  Peace  of  Westphalia,  after  an  eighty 
years'  war,  that  the  political  rights  of  all  the  Reformed 
princes  and  churches  of  the  Continent  were  secured  by 
treaty. 

LITURGIES. 

During  the  troublous  times  before  independence,  litur- 
gies were  growing  up,  containing  purified  forms  of  devo- 
tion, and  these  were  also  full  of  instruction  to  the  common 
people.      In  their  composition  all  the  older  liturgies,  even 


1 2  INTROD  UC  TI0N. 

to  the  earliest  centuries,  were  freely  used.  Errors  and 
superstitions  which  had  attached  themselves  to  them  were, 
of  course,  eliminated.  These  liturgies,  as  they  appeared, 
were  translated  from  one  language  to  another,  with  im- 
provements, until  they  approximated  the  Reformed  ideal. 
Besides  an  earlier  one  in  Geneva,  Calvin  prepared  a  liturgy 
for  his  Walloon  congregation  at  Strassburg  in  1541,  which 
was  printed  in  1545.  A  second  edition  was  published  in 
1546  by  Polanus,  Calvin's  successor.  Upon  the  removal 
of  Polanus  with  his  entire  flock  to  Glastonbury,  England, 
in  155 1,  he  translated  this  liturgy  into  English,  which 
Cranmer  and  his  colleagues  used  in  the  preparation  of  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer.  In  1553  John  a  Lasco,  pastor 
of  the  Dutch  Church  of  Austin  Friars,  London,  prepared 
a  liturgy  in  Latin,  based  on  that  of  Polanus.  An  abridg- 
ment of  this  was  made  by  Micron  in  1554,  translated 
into  Dutch,  and  printed  at  Embden  under  the  title, 
"  Christian  Ordinances  of  the  Netherlands  Congregations 
of  Christ,  with  the  approbation  of  the  ministers  and  elders 
of  the  Neder  Dutch  church  of  Christ  at  London,  for  the 
comfort  and  profit  of  all  believers.  Diligently  collected 
and  arranged  by  Martin  Micron."  The  next  year  a  Latin 
edition  of  a  Lasco's  liturgy  of  1553  was  published  at  Frank- 
fort under  the  title,  "  The  Form  of  Ecclesiastical  Service 
in  the  Dutch  Church  of  Foreigners  established  at  London 
in  England."  In  1566  Dathenus  revised  the  liturgy  of 
Micron,  and  this  revision  was  formally  adopted  in  Holland 
by  the  Synod  of  Wesel  in  1568.  This  also  contained 
Dathenus's  versification  of  the  Psalms  and  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism.  Forms  for  the  administration  of  baptism  to 
infants.  Micron's  Compendium  for  those  who  wished  to 
enter  into  the  full  communion  of  the  church,  forms  for 
the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  for  marriage, 
with  many  forms  of  prayer,  were  also  incorporated.     This 


INTRODUCTION.  1 3 

revised  liturgy  of  Dathenus  was  formally  adopted  by  the 
Synods  of  Holland  and  Zeeland  in  1574,  and  soon  came 
into  more  or  less  general  use  in  all  the  provinces.  The 
prayers  in  these  liturgies  were  not  obligatory.  Thus  dur- 
ing the  generation  of  greatest  persecution  were  these  be- 
lievers preparing  forms  of  worship  which  would  exert  an 
educational  influence  for  generations. 

CREEDS    AND    POLITY. 

Meantime,  also,  they  felt  the  necessity  of  providing 
themselves  with  a  definite  creed  and  church  order,  or  sys- 
tem of  polity.  Congregations,  more  or  less  imperfectly 
organized,  had  sprung  up  everywhere.  Many  minor  dif- 
ferences in  faith  and  order  needed  to  be  adjusted.  Guido 
de  Bres,  Peter  Dathenus,  Henry  Modet,  and  Francis  Junius 
were  the  principal  instruments  in  securing  the  unity  desired. 
After  a  few  concessions  wrung  from  the  regent  Margaret 
in  1566,  some  Walloon  and  Dutch  pastors  felt  encouraged 
to  meet  at  Antwerp,  with  a  number  of  nobles,  to  begin 
the  formation  of  a  regular  church  organization.  After 
slight  revision  they  adopted  the  Belgic  Confession  of  Faith, 
which  had  been  composed  by  Guido  de  Bres  in  I559>  ^^^^ 
published  in  156 1.  It  was  modeled  after  the  Gallican  Con- 
fession, and  contained  thirty-seven  articles.  A  copy  was 
sent  to  Philip  H.,  with  an  explanatory  letter,  and  also  with 
a  request  for  protection  and  liberty  of  conscience.  At 
the  same  time  an  exhortation  was  addressed  to  the  sev- 
eral local  authorities  of  the  Netherlands.  The  Heidelberg 
Catechism  was  provisionally  adopted  at  the  same  time. 
The  Synod,  however,  was  careful  to  say  that  these  stand- 
ards of  doctrine  were  only  symbols  of  agreement,  and  that 
the  Word  of  God  was  their  only  rule  of  faith. 

Such  was  the  formal  beginning  of  the  Reformed  Church 


1 4  INTR  on  I  r  TJON. 

in  the  Netherlands,  although  the  principles  of  the  same  faith, 
and  ever-increasing  numbers  of  adherents,  had  existed  for 
nearly  half  a  century,  not  to  speak  of  similar  believers  be- 
fore the  Reformation. 

EXTERRITORIAL    SYNODS — THE    SYNOD    OF   WESEL. 

The  two  Synods  which  formulated  the  Church  Order, 
as  the  polity  of  the  church  was  called,  were  obliged  to 
meet  outside  the  Netherlands,  on  account  of  the  raging 
persecutions  within.  It  was  during  the  atrocities  of  Alva 
(1567-73),  who  had  sworn  to  exterminate  the  heretics, 
that'  the  Dutch  proceeded  to  organize  their  church,  not 
doubting,  in  their  new-found  evangelical  faith,  but  that 
God  would  give  them  victory  and  peace.  This  Synod  of 
Wesel  (1568)  accordingly  adopted  the  name  "  The  Nether- 
land  Churches  which  are  Waiting  under  the  Cross."  It 
also  adopted  provisionally  Calvin's  Presbyterian  polity, 
which  they  elaborated  in  certain  particulars  to  suit  their 
circumstances.  Ministers  must  be  pious  and  learned  men, 
and  must  agree  in  doctrine  with  the  standards  already 
adopted.  Schools  must  be  established  for  the  study  of 
Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin.  The  Walloon  churches  could 
use  the  Geneva  Catechism.  The  Dutch  versification  of 
the  Psalms  by  Dathenus  was  adopted  for  use  in  worship. 
The  duties  of  the  four  classes  of  officers  were  defined,  and 
directions  were  given  as  to  sermonizing,  and  prophesying, 
that  is,  Bible-class  teaching.  They  refused  to  give  viiiiute 
directions  as  to  the  way  of  administering  baptism  and  the 
Supper,  lest  they  should  seem  to  tyrannize  over  consciences. 

The  SYNOD  of  embden. 

At  the  Synod  of  Embden  (15  71)  the  action  of  the  Synod 
of  Wesel  was  confirmed,  and  some  additions  were  made. 


INTROD  UC  TIOIV.  1 5 

Ministers  must  subscribe  to  the  standards  of  doctrine.  The 
name  "consistory  "  was  adopted  for  the  minister,  elders,  and 
deacons  1  of  each  church,  who  must  hold  weekly  meetings. 
The  Classes  were  to  meet  quarterly  or  semi-annually,  and 
a  biennial  General  Synod  was  suggested,  which  should  be 
conventional.  Ministers  were  to  be  called  by  the  Consis- 
tory, subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Classis.  These  features 
of  church  government,  more  or  less  expanded,  remain  the 
same  in  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  to  this  day. 

With  the  recall  of  the  Duke  of  Alva  to  Spain  (1573) 
the  fugitives  were  enabled  to  return.  A  Synod  embracing 
only  the  two  provinces  of  Holland  and  Zeeland  was  held 
in  1 5  74,  which  was  somewhat  retrogressive,  owing  to  local 
and  personal  reasons,  and  its  acts  were  not  recognized  by 
the  States.  Following  the  siege  of  Leyden  the  University 
of  Leyden  was  founded  in  1575  in  reward  of  the  heroism 
of  the  citizens.  In  1576  the  Reformed  Church  was  estab- 
lished in  the  provinces  of  Zeeland  and  Holland,  but  free- 
dom of  religion  was  allowed  in  all  the  provinces.  This 
was  the  result  of  the  Pacification  of  Ghent.  The  infamous 
edicts  of  Charles  V.  were  now  repealed,  and  the  Inquisi- 
tion was  forever  prohibited. 

SYNODS    IN    HOLLAND — THE    FIRST    SYNOD    OF    DORT. 

With  two  national  Synods  which  were  subsequently 
held  in  the  country — viz.,  at  Dort  (1576)  and  at  Middel- 
burg  (1581) — the  polity  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  Hol- 
land was  completed.  The  first  of  these  Synods  was  called 
without  the  consent  of  the  civil  power.  It  declared  that 
in  ecclesiastical  matters  the  power  belonged  to  the  church 

1  Subsequently  the  term  was  limited  to  the  minister  and  elders,  but  in 
America  it  has  always  also  included  the  deacons. 


J 


1 6  INTROD  UCTION. 

alone.  It  was  subsequently  conceded  that  calls  on  min- 
isters might  be  approved  by  the  magistrates.  The  four 
grades  of  ecclesiastical  bodies  were  defined,  viz..  Consis- 
tories, Classes,  Provincial  Synods,  and  a  General  Synod 
which  was  to  meet  triennially.  Church  records  were  to 
be  minutely  kept,  as  well  as  records  of  baptisms  and  mar- 
riages. The  conditions  of  full  church-membership  were 
defined. 

THE    SYNOD    OF    MIDDELBURG. 

The  Synod  of  Middelburg  (1581)  invited  the  States  to 
send  a  delegation,  but  this  was  declined.  This  excited 
some  suspicions.  This  Synod  decided  that  the  States 
should  not  be  recognized  in  the  election  of  ministers, 
elders,  or  deacons.  A  proposition  was  made  for  some  sort 
of  civic  superintendence,  but  this  was  rejected.  It  was 
now  decided  that  all  church  officers,  including  professors 
of  theology  and  schoolmasters,  must  sign  the  standards 
of  doctrine.  The  Reformed  Church  of  Holland  was  now 
(1581)  thoroughly  organized,  with  an  evangelical  liturgy 
and  creed,  and  a  Presbyterian  polity.  Within  a  month 
after  the  adjournment  of  this  Synod,  as  before  said,  Philip 
II.  was  formally  deposed. 

THE   ARMINIAN    CONTROVERSY    AND    THE    SYNOD    OF 

DORT. 

To  pass  over  the  intervening  period,  in  1609  began  a 
truce  of  twelve  years  with  Spain.  In  the  same  year  began 
the  great  Arminian  controversy,  which  led  to  the  call  of 
the  famous  Synod  of  Dort  (1618-19).  Arminius  (1560- 
1609)  was  ordained  as  a  Reformed  minister  in  1586.  In 
1603  he  became  professor  of  theology  at  Leyden.  He 
soon  became  involved  in  a  dispute  with  Gomar  on  fore- 


INTRODUCTION.  1 7 

ordination.  He  asked  for  the  assembling  of  a  Synod  to  • 
decide  the  questions  involved,  but  he  almost  immediately 
died.  His  adherents,  as  ministers  of  the  Reformed  Church, 
were  condemned  for  holding  opinions  contrary  to  the  stand- 
ards of  doctrine  which  they  had  subscribed.  In  i6iO  they 
presented  a  remonstrance  against  this  decision,  and  hence  ^ 
were  called  Remonstrants.  The  debate  went  on  for  teiv-^^ 
years.  The  Remonstrants  held  to  a  conditional  election ; 
an  unlimited  atonement,  yet  that  no  man  of  himself  is  able 
to  exercise  saving  faith,  except  through  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  that  grace  does  not  act  upon  men  in  an 
irresistible  way.  Upon  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  they 
were  undetermined.  All  the  Reformed  churches  of  Europe 
were  invited  to  send  delegates  to  this  Synod,  and  they 
all  complied  except  Anhalt.  Those  of  the  French  church 
were  forbidden  to  attend  by  the  king.  James  I.  of  Eng- 
land sent  Carleton,  Bishop  of  Llandaff;  Davenant,  after- 
ward Bishop  of  Salisbury ;  Samuel  Ward,  professor  at 
Cambridge ;  Joseph  Hall,  afterward  Bishop  of  Exeter  and 
Norwich ;  and  Walter  Balcanqual,  chaplain  to  the  king. 
Twenty-three  delegates  came  from  Germany,  the  Palati- 
nate, and  Switzerland.  There  were  thirty- one  Dutch  min- 
isters present,  twenty  elders,  and  five  professors.  The 
Arminians  were  cited  as  accused  parties.  Their  leader, 
Episcopius,  defended  their  views  with  great  eloquence  and 
boldness.  The  doctrines  of  grace  concerning  predestina- 
tion, redemption,  the  corruption  of  man  and  the  manner 
of  his  conversion,  and  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  were 
elaborately  discussed,  and  more  accurately  defined  and 
formulated  in  what  are  called  the  Canons  of  the  Synod  of 
Dort.  The  design  of  these  Canons  is  TO  MAGNIFY  THE 
GRACE  OF  GOD  in  the  salvation  of  sinners.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  all  the  Reformed  churches  present  signed  the 
Canons.      It  was  then  decided  that  the  Remonstrants,  as 


1 8  INTRODUCTION. 

officers  of  the  Reformed  Church,  should  be  excluded  from 
their  offices.  They  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  tolerated 
as  a  separate  sect. 

Political  complications  were  involved  in  the  discussion, 
and  the  long  dispute  no  doubt  exasperated  both  parties ; 
hence  the  added  severity  of  the  banishment  of  about  two 
hundred  ministers,  including  the  great  statesman  and 
scholar,  Hugo  Grotius,  and  the  execution  of  Barneveldt. 
But  these  events  must  be  judged  in  the  light  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  Within  six  years,  with  the  death 
of  Maurice  (1625),  the  Remonstrants  were  permitted  to  re- 
turn, and  full  toleration  was  granted  them.  Arminians  are 
now  found  everywhere.  As  Wesleyans  in  Great  Britain, 
and  Methodists  in  America,  though  somewhat  loose  and 
uncertain  in  doctrine,  and  given  to  extremes  in  action, 
they  have  been  most  useful  in  advancing  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  the  Reformed  Church  bids  them  Godspeed. 

THE    POST-ACTA. 

The  Synod  of  Dort  was  in  session  for  six  months,  and 
its  proceedings  are  voluminous.  After  the  withdrawal  of 
the  foreign  delegates  at  the  close  of  the  one  hundred  and 
fifty-fourth  session,  the  Dutch  delegates  continued  in  ses- 
sion as  a  National  Synod.  Its  acts  (Sessions  155-180)  are 
known  as  the  Post-Acta.  They  relate  to  a  v^ariety  of 
topics,^  such  as  church  ordinances,  the  jus  patronatus, 
church  visitation,  the  call  to  the  ministerial  office,  corre- 
spondence between  magistrates  and  Consistories,  festival 
days,  the  hymns  to  be  sung  in  the  church,  the  baptism  of 
Roman  Catholics,  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  the  mar- 
riage relation,  professors,  the  form  to  be  signed  at  ordina- 
tion, the  baptism  of  the  sick  and  of  adults,  the  visitation 

1  Hansen's  "  Reformed  Church  in  the  Netherlands,"  p.  171. 


INTRODUCTION.  1 9 

of  the  sick,  a  new  translation  of  the  Bible  into  Dutch, 
foreign  missions,  profanity,  ministers'  salaries,  the  liturgy, 
and  other  matters. 

The  Heidelberg  Catechism  was  reindorsed  with  words 
of  praise,  and  parents  were  exhorted  to  teach  it  in  the 
home.  It  was  required  to  be  taught  in  the  schools.  The 
establishment  of  more  schools  was  urged.  Ministers  were 
required  to  explain  a  portion  of  the  catechism  every  Sab- 
bath afternoon.  A  compendium  of  the  catechism  prepared 
by  Herman  Faukelius  was  adopted  in  the  place  of  that  of 
Micron  and  others,  which  had  formerly  been  used. 

New  forms  had  been  added  to  the  liturgy  from  time  to 
time,  and  modifications  had  been  made  by  different  Synods. 
The  revision  of  the  liturgy  was  now  intrusted  to  a  com- 
mittee, of  which  Festus  Hommius,  pastor  at  Leyden,  was 
chairman.  Their  work  was  ratified  by  the  Provincial 
Synods  in  1622.  The  Articles  of  Church  Government  \ 
were  also  revised.  They  consist  of  eighty-six  articles, 
which  were  treated  under  four  heads,  viz..  Offices;  Eccle- 
siastical Assemblies  ;  Doctrines,  Sacraments,  and  Usages  ; 
and  Disciphne.  It  was  just  at  this  juncture  that  the  West 
India  Company  was  formed  (1621)  and  New  Netherland 
began  to  be  colonized. 

Subsequent  generations  in  Holland  passed  through  many 
vicissitudes.  The  spread  of  rationalism  in  the  eighteenth 
century  affected  many  of  her  ministers,  and  the  Napoleonic 
wars  resulted  in  a  modification  of  her  polity;  but  in  18 16 
certain  new  regulations  were  adopted  which  partly  restored 
her  former  system.  Finally  the  Established  Church  gave 
up  the  Canons  of  Dort,  and  allowed  as  wide  a  latitude  to 
her  ministers  and  professors  as  Germany  or  Switzerland. 
Hence  in  1834  a  number  of  ministers  and  congregations 
separated  from  the  Established  Church  and  organized  the 
Christian  Reformed  Church.    Their  design  was  to 


20  IXTRODUCriON. 

secure  and  maintain  the  old  purity  of  doctrine.  After 
much  difificuhy,  and  not  without  persecution,  they  obtained 
recognition.  In  1 846  began  a  new  emigration  of  Holland- 
ers, chiefly  from  this  body,  to  Michigan  and  other  States. 
These  now  far  exceed  in  numbers  the  original  Holland  set- 
tlers of  1664,  from  whom  the  Dutch  Church  has  descended. 
A  large  portion  of  these  recent  immigrants  have  fallen 
naturally  into  the  fold  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Amer- 
ica, which  adheres  to  the  original  system  of  Reformed  doc- 
trine. Some  have  united  with  the  True  Reformed  Dutch 
Church,  a  small  body  which  seceded  in  1822. 

The  present  kingdom  of  the  Netherlands,  according  to 
the  constitution  of  1848,  grants  entire  liberty  of  conscience 
and  complete  civil  equality  to  the  members  of  all  religious 
confessions.  The  National  Reformed  Church,  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  and  English  Presbyterian  ministers  in 
certain  seaports  are  supported  by  the  government.  In 
1857,  under  the  influence  of  the  liberals  and  the  Roman- 
ists, the  government  banished  religious  instruction  from  the 
schools,  and  in  1876  it  abolished  the  theological  faculties 
in  the  universities,  but  granted  funds  to  the  National 
Synod  for  special  theological  instruction.  When  rational- 
ists secured  these  professorships,  the  orthodox  party  within 
the  National  Church  established  a  Free  Reformed  Uni- 
versity at  Amsterdam.  (1880).  The  same  party  has  estab- 
lished free  schools  all  over  Holland,  in  which  evangelical 
religion  is  taught. 


PERIOD  I. 

THE    REFORMED    CHURCH    IN    AMERICA. 
COLONIZATION  (1614-64). 


21 


THE  REFORMED  CHURCH,  DUTCH. 


CHAPTER   I. 

TRANSPLANTING  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  TO  AMERICA. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  America  is  the  oldest  body 
of  Presbyterians  on  the  western  hemisphere.  As  the 
pioneer,  therefore,  of  those  doctrines  and  forms  of  govern- 
ment beHeved  to  be  most  in  harmony  with  Scripture  and 
the  American  Constitution,  she  occupies  a  unique  place  in 
our  country's  annals.  The  Reformed  Church  of  Holland 
has  the  honor  of  having  first  planted  Presbyterianism  upon 
the  shores  of  the  New  World. 

Many  adherents  of  the  Reformed  faith,  led  by  various 
causes,  early  emigrated  to  America.  Those  from  the  Con- 
tinent, while  retaining  the  general  epithet  of  Reformed, 
have,  on  account  of  the  different  nationalities  from  which 
they  sprung,  and  out  of  love  to  their  fatherlands,  retained, 
until  a  generation  ago,  patrial  adjectives  to  indicate  their 
origin ;  hence  the  Dutch  Reformed,  the  French  Reformed, 
and  the  German  Reformed  Churches.  But  these  old 
national  distinctions  became  comparatively  meaningless  in 
the  general  intermixture  and  Americanization  of  all  the 
Reformed  churches  in  this  country.  Scattered  representa- 
tives of  the  Swiss  Reformed,  also,  were  not  wanting.    The 

23 


24  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

non-episcopal  emigrants  from  Great  Britain  of  the  Re- 
formed faith  have  generally  been  distinguished  by  names 
derived  from  their  forms  of  church  government,  to  indicate 
their  opposition  to  Episcopacy,  as  Congregationalists  and 
Presbyterians ;  but  these  and  the  continental  branches  have 
freely  intermingled  as  location  or  other  circumstances  de- 
termined, thus  giving  a  practical  exhibition  of  the  unity  of 
the  church.  The  French  Reformed — the  noble  Hugue- 
nots— have  been  almost  completely  absorbed  by  other  de- 
nominations which  flourished  around  them.  From  1730 
to  1 792  the  German  Reformed  churches,  mostly  from  the 
Palatinate,  placed  themselves  under  the  care  of  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam.  Indeed,  all  the  elements  of  the  Reformed 
churches  of  the  Continent,  wherever  located,  were  under 
the  ecclesiastical  care  of  that  renowned  Classis.  French 
and  German  and  Swiss,  as  well  as  Dutch,  from  all  parts 
of  the  New  World — from  New  Netherland,  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland,  and  Virginia;  from  the  West  Indies,  Guiana, 
and  Brazil ;  and  even  from  many  parts  of  the  Old  World 
— from  Cape  Colony,  Hindustan,  and  Ceylon ;  from  the 
East  India  Islands,  as  Borneo  and  Java;  from  Formosa 
and  Japan — turned  to  Amsterdam  for  men  and  money. ^ 


THE    REFORMED    CHURCH    COLONY    IN    NEW    NETHER- 
LAND. 

The  Dutch  did  not  flee  to  America  from  oppression,  as 
did  the  Puritans,  for  Holland  was  at  this  time  the  open 
asylum  for  the  oppressed  of  -all  lands;  but  they  came 
hither  on  great  commercial  errands.  Their  small  fur- 
trade  with  the  city  of  Archangel  suggested  the  possibility 

1  The  Archives  of  tlie  Classis  of  Amsterdam  contain  more  tlian  a  hundred 
folio  volumes  of  their  correspondence  with  all  these  fields. 


THE    WEST  INDIA    COMPANY.  2$ 

of  a  vast  trade  of  a  similar  kind  with  America.  It  was 
soon  perceived  that  the  peltry  of  the  New  World  could  be 
made  a  business  immensely  profitable.  At  first  there  was 
no  intention  of  planting  permanent  agricultural  colonies. 
Hudson,  sailing  under  the  auspices  of  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company,  in  searching  for  a  route  to  India,  discovered  in 
1609  the  river  which  bears  his  name.  Hendrick  Chris- 
tiaensen  made  ten  voyages  to  this  river  (161 2-21),  by  virtue 
of  a  special  grant.  In  16 14  the  country  between  Virginia 
and  New  France,  and  extending  on  the  sea-coast  from  the 
fortieth  to  the  forty-fifth  degree  of  latitude,  was  named 
New  Netherland,  and  the  New  Netherland  Company 
was  chartered  to  trade  therewith.  A  few  armed  trading- 
posts  were  at  once  established  along  the  Hudson  River. 
These  efforts,  and  other  circumstances,  such  as  the  ter- 
mination of  the  twelve  years'  truce  with  Spain,  resulted 
in  the  organization  of  the  West  India  Company. 

For  twenty  years  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  had 
been  trading  in  the  Indian  Ocean  and  on  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific.  By  its  daring  enterprise  and  success  it  built 
up  a  Dutch  empire  in  Malaysia.  By  the  floods  of  wealth 
which  it  brought  back  to  Holland  it  excited  the  admira- 
tion of  the  world.  And  now  a  West  India  Company  was 
chartered  (162 1)  for  the-development  of  trafiic  with  Amer- 
ica, the  humbling  of  Spain,  the  conversion  of  the  Indians, 
and  colonization  in  general.  This  company  had,  so  far  as 
the  Dutch  could  give  it,  the  monopoly  of  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  on  all  its  uncivilized  shores.  It  was  an  armed  com- 
mercial corporation,  possessing  almost  unlimited  powers  to 
colonize,  defend,  and  govern  its  possessions.  It  planted 
colonies  not  only  in  New  Netherland,  but  in  South  Amer- 
ica, in  the  West  Indies,  and  on  the  shores  of  Africa.  The 
particular  care  of  New  Netherland  was  committed  to  the 
Amsterdam  Chamber,     By  its  instrumentality  parts  of  our 


26  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

Middle  States  were  rapidly  settled  with  emigrants  from 
Holland.  Among  these  Dutch  were  many  Walloons,  as 
they  are  called  in  EngHsh.  Their  original  name  was  Gal- 
lois,  because  they  bordered  on  France  and  spoke  the  old 
French;  but  the  Dutch  called  them  Waalslie,  which  was 
corrupted  into  Walloons.  They  inhabited  the  southern 
provinces  of  Belgium,  which  did  not  join  in  the  Union  of 
Utrecht  (1579)  because  most  of  the  people  were  Roman 
Catholics.  The  Protestants  of  these  provinces,  being  per- 
secuted, fled  to  Holland,  and  these  are  the  Walloons  of 
history.  They  carried  with  them  many  useful  arts,  and 
enriched  their  adopted  country.  They  were  allowed  to 
retain  their  own  modes  of  worship.  The  English  Virginia 
Company  failed  to  offer  acceptable  terms  to  them.  The 
West  India  Company  was  more  fortunate,  and  Walloons 
were  among  the  first  emigrants  whom  that  company 
brought  to  America.  Huguenots  also  early  began  to 
choose  America  as  their  home. 

With  the  full  organization  of  the  company  in  1623, 
permanent  settlements  began  to  be  made  at  Manhattan, 
Wallabout,  and  Fort  Orange.  These  settlers  lived  on  the 
most  friendly  terms  with  the  Indians,  and  began  at  once  to 
prosper.  Even  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth  expressed  regret 
that  the  Dutch  monopolized  the  fur-trade. 


GOVERNMENT    OF   THE    COLONY. 

In  1626  Minuit,  the  first  director,  arrived,  and  civil  gov- 
ernment under  the  auspices  of  the  company  began.  To 
strengthen  their  title,  knowing  that  it  was  disputed  by  the 
English,  they  purchased  of  the  Indians  the  whole  of  Man- 
hattan Island  for  $24.  Thus  the  island  became  the  private 
property  of  the  company.     The  will  of  the  company  was 


CIVIL   GOVERNMENT  OF   THE   COLONY.  27 

expressed  in  private  instructions  to  the  director ;  or  special 
ordinances  were  passed  by  the  director  and  his  council, 
which,  if  approved  by  the  company,  had  the  force  of  law. 
In  other  matters  the  laws  and  customs  of  Holland  prevailed. 
There  were  in  1626  about  two  hundred  persons  on  Man- 
hattan Island.  There  were  thirty  houses  near  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  island,  built  mostly  of  bark.  A  large 
cargo  of  furs  was  sent  back  during  this  year  to  Holland. 

Such  were  the  feeble  beginnings  of  the  great  city  of 
New  York.  The  colonists  were  industrious  and  frugal. 
There  were  mechanics,  traders,  and  farmers.  Implements 
of  husbandry  and  cattle  were  provided  by  the  company. 
There  were  also  in  1626  eight  families  at  Fort  Orange, 
besides  ten  or  twelve  sailors.  These  families  shortly  after 
removed  to  Manhattan.  There  were  also  a  few  Dutch 
settlers  on  the  Delaware. 

In  1628  the  company  determined  to  subinfeudate  cer- 
tain colonies  or  manors.  The  Spanish  wars  were  engag- 
ing the  attention  of  the  company  so  completely,  and  New 
Netherland  was  beginning  to  be  so  expensive  a  province, 
that  it  was  thought  this  change  of  policy  would  settle  the 
country  and  open  up  its  resources  more  rapidly.  The  pel- 
try was  at  this  time  worth  only  about  fifty  thousand  guild- 
ers per  annum.  The  members  of  the  company,  to  whom 
these  privileges  were  first  offered,  being  merchants,  were 
not  generally  landed  proprietors  at  home.  A  Charter  of 
Freedoms  and  Exemptions  was  accordingly  passed  in  1629. 
By  this,  any  member  of  the  company  who  planted  a  colony 
of  fifty  adults  in  any  part  of  New  Netheriand  except  the 
island  of  Manhattan  should  be  a  patroon  or  feudal  chief  of 
such  territory.  His  land  might  extend  sixteen  miles  along 
any  navigable  river,  or  eight  miles  on  each  side  if  both 
banks  were  occupied,  and  as  far  back  into  the  country  as 
he  pleased.    In  1640  these  privileges  were  extended  to  any 


28  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

inhabitant  of  New  Netherland  who  would  plant  such  a 
colony.  It  was  required  that  each  patroon  and  his  colonists 
should  support  a  minister  and  schoolmaster,  and  until  this 
could  be  accomplished  should  provide  themselves  with  a 
comforter  of  the  sick.  Many  large  tracts  of  land  were  at 
once  appropriated  by  members  of  the  company.  The  best 
known  of  these  is  that  of  Van  Rensselaer  at  Albany.  But 
the  scheme  was  that  of  a  selfish  corporation,  and  in  the  end 
did  not  work  well.  These  Dutch  patroonships  must  not 
be  confounded  avith  the  later  English  manors,  which  were 
granted  on  certain  conditions  to  any  one  who  sought  them 
and  could  pay  the  fees. 

RELIGION    IN   THE   COLONY. 

But  in  the  midst  of  all  this  traffic  the  gospel  was  not  for- 
gotten. The  ships  of  the  company  carried  the  messages 
of  anxious  souls  who  were  longing  for  the  bread  of  life. 
The  presence  of  Krankeji-besocckcrs,  or  comforters  of  the 
sick  (1626),  preceded  the  more  formal  services.  Sebastian 
Crol  and  Jan  Huyck  were  the  first  to  perform  these  duties. 
While  awaiting  the  arrival  of  a  clergyman  they  read  to  the 
people  the  Scriptures  and  the  creeds  on  Sundays.  Fran- 
cois Molemaecker,  in  the  same  year,  in  building  a  horse- 
mill,  prepared  a  large  room  over  it  to  serve  as  a  place  of 
worship.  Even  a  small  tower  was  added,  in  which  were 
placed  the  bells  which  had  been  brought  the  year  before 
from  Porto  Rico  by  the  company's  fleet. 

MINISTRY    OF    MICHAELIUS. 

The  first  minister.  Rev.  Jonas  Michaelius,  came  over  in 
1628.  This  circumstance  was  for  a  long  period  entirely 
forgotten.      In  1858  an  elaborate  letter  of  his  was  discov- 


MINISTRY  OF  AIICHAELIUS.  29 

ered,  referring  to  his  arrival,  his  first  ministrations,  and  his 
views  of  the  country  and  tlie  natives.  It  was  in  this  same 
year  that  some  of  tlie  most  brilhant  successes  of  the  Dutch 
over  the  Spaniards  took  place.  These  vastly  enlarged  the 
fortunes  of  the  humble  settlers  on  Manhattan.  The  fleets 
of  the  West  India  Company  swept  the  seas,  and  wrested 
from  the  Spaniards  the  rich  spoils  of  Mexico  and  Peru. 
The  capture  of  the  Spanish  silver  fleet,  near  Cuba,  carry- 
ing one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  pounds  of  pure  silver, 
gave  the  company  twelve  million  of  guilders.  A  dividend 
was  declared  of  fifty  percent.  The  following  year  the 
company  took  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  four  prizes. 
In  1630  Brazil  was  added  to  their  possessions.  May  not 
these  wonderful  successes  have  been  one  cause  why  the 
first  domine,  who  arrived  just  during  these  El  Dorado 
scenes,  was  entirely  forgotten  until  modern  research  resur- 
rected his  name  ? 

Many  of  the  first  settlers  brought  their  certificates  of 
church-membership  with  them,  and  a  list  of  these  names 
may  have  given  rise  to  the  story  of  an  organized  church 
as  early  as  1619,  as  stated  in  the  life  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  H. 
Livingston.  These  members,  indeed,  constituted  the  ele- 
ments of  a  church,  though  not  formally  organized  accord- 
ing to  Presbyterian  methods.  But  Michaelius  actually 
organized  a  church  in  1628.  There  were  then  about  two 
hundred  and  seventy  souls  on  Manhattan  Island.  The 
letter  of  Michaelius^  is  the  earliest  ecclesiastical  document 
of  New  York,  and  therefore  possesses  a  peculiar  impor- 
tance ;  but  we  can  only  give  extracts : 

1  It  is  printed  in  full  in  "  Colonial  Documents,"  vol.  ii.,  pp.  763-770,  and 
in  Corwin's  "  Manual,"  1879,  pp.  3-10. 


30  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

"  REVEREND   JONAS    MICHAELIUS    TO    THE    REVEREND    ADRIANUS 

SMOUTIUS. 

"Dated  New  Amsterdam,  August  ii,  1628. 
"  Honorable   Sir,    Well-beloved  Brother   in    Christ,  Kind 
Friend  ! 

"DE   VREDE    CHRISTI: 

"  The  favorable  opportunity  which  now  presents  itself 
of  writing  to  you,  right  reverend  sir,  I  cannot  let  pass 
without  embracing  it,  according  to  my  promise.  And  I 
first  unburden  myself  in  this  communication  of  a  sorrow- 
ful circumstance.  It  has  pleased  the  Lord,  seven  weeks 
after  we  arrived  in  this  country,  to  take  from  me  my  good 
partner,  who  has  been  to  me,  for  more  than  sixteen  years, 
a  virtuous,  faithful,  and  in  every  respect  amiable  yokefel- 
low ;  and  I  find  myself  with  three  children  very  much  dis- 
commoded without  her  society  and  assistance.  But  what 
have  I  to  say  ?  The  Lord  himself  has  done  this,  in  which 
no  one  can  oppose  him.  Wherefore  I  should  also  be  will- 
ing, knowing  that  all  things  must  work  together  for  good 
to  those  who  love  God.  I  hope,  therefore,  to  bear  my 
cross  patiently,  and,  by  the  grace  and  help  of  the  Lord, 
not  to  let  the  courage  fail  me  which  I  stand  in  need  of  in 
my  particular  duties.   .   .   . 

"  Our  coming  here  Avas  agreeable  to  all,  and  I  hope,  by 
the  grace  of  the  Lord,  that  my  services  will  not  be  unfruit- 
ful. The  people,  for  the  most  part,  are  free,  somewhat 
rough,  and  loose ;  but  I  find  in  almost  all  of  them  both  love 
and  respect  toward  me — two  things  with  which  hitherto 
the  Lord  has  everywhere  graciously  blessed  my  labors, 
and  which  will  produce  us  fruit  in  our  special  calling,  as 
you,  right  reverend,  yourself  well  know  and  find. 

"  We  have  first  established  the  form  of  a  church  \^ge- 
meente'\  ;  and,  as  Brother  Bastiaen  Crol  very  seldom  comes 


MINISTRY  OF  MICHAELIUS.  3 1 

down  from  Fort  Orange,  because  the  directorship  of  that 
fort  and  the  trade  there  is  committed  to  him,  it  has  been 
thought  best  to  choose  two  elders,  for  my  assistance,  and 
for  the  proper  consideration  of  all  such  ecclesiastical  mat- 
ters as  might  occur,  intending  the  coming  year,  if  the  Lord 
permit,  to  let  one  of  them  retire,  and  to  choose  another 
in  his  place  from  a  double  number  first  lawfully  presented 
by  the  congregation.  One  of  those  whom  we  have  now 
chosen  is  the  honorable  director  himself,  and  the  other  is 
the  storekeeper  of  the  company,  Jan  Huyghen,  his  brother- 
in-law,  persons  of  very  good  character  as  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  learn,  having  both  been  formerly  in  office  in 
the  church,  the  one  as  deacon  and  the  other  as  elder  in 
the  Dutch  and  French  churches,  respectively,  at  Wesel. 

"  We  have  had  at  the  first  administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  full  fifty  communicants — not  without  great  joy  and 
comfort  for  so  many — Walloons  and  Dutch ;  of  whom  a 
portion  made  their  first  confession  of  faith  before  us,  and 
others  exhibited  their  church  certificates.  Others  had  for- 
gotten to  bring  their  certificates  with  them,  not  thinking 
that  a  church  would  be  formed  and  established  here ;  and 
some  who  brought  them  had  lost  them,  unfortunately,  in  a 
general  conflagration ;  but  they  were  admitted  upon  the 
satisfactory  testimony  of  others  to  whom  they  were  known, 
and  also  upon  their  daily  good  deportment,  since  we  can- 
not observe  strictly  all  the  usual  formalities  in  making  a 
beginning  under  such  circumstances. 

"  We  administer  the  holy  sacrament  of  the  Lord  once 
in  four  months,  provisionally,  until  a  larger  number  of 
people  shall  otherwise  require.  The  Walloons  and  French 
have  no  service  on  Sundays  otherwise  than  in  the  Dutch 
language,  of  which  they  understand  very  little.  A  por- 
tion of  the  Walloons  are  going  back  to  fatherland,  either 
because  their  years  here  are  expired,  or  else  because  some 


32  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

are  not  very  serviceable  to  the  company.  Some  of  them 
hve  far  away,  and  could  not  come  on  account  of  the  heavy 
rains  and  storms,  so  that  it  was  neither  advisable,  nor  was 
it  possible,  to  appoint  any  special  service  for  so  small  a  num- 
ber with  so  much  uncertainty.  Nevertheless  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  administered  to  them  in  the  French  language 
and  according  to  the  French  mode,  with  a  preceding  dis- 
course, which  I  had  before  me  in  writing,  as  I  could  not 
trust  myself  extemporaneously.   ... 

"  Commending  you,  right  reverend,  and  all  of  you  to 
Almighty  God,  by  his  grace,  to  continued  health  and  pros- 
perity, and  to  eternal  salvation  of  heart. 

"  From  the  island  of  Manhatas,  in  New  Netherland,  this 
iith  August,  anno  1628,  by  me  your  right  reverend's 
obedient  in  Christ, 

"Jonas  Michaelius. 

"  [Indorsed.]  The  Honorable,  Learned,  and  Pious  Mr. 
Adrian  Smoutius,  Faithful  Minister  of  the  Holy  Gospel 
of  Christ  in  His  Church,  dwelling  upon  the  Heeren- 
gracht  not  far  from  the  House  of  the  West  India  Com- 
pany, Amsterdam.  By  the  care  of  a  friend,  whom  God 
preserve." 

(Sealed  with  a  wafered  signet  not  discernible.) 

How  long  Michaelius  remained  in  Manhattan  is  unknown. 
In  1637  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  desired  to  send  him  back 
to  New  Amsterdam.  He  is  then  styled  "  late  minister  to 
Virginia."  He  could  hardly  have  been  still  in  the  country 
in  1633,  on  the  arrival  of  Domine  Bogardus,  or  the  fact 
would  have  been  noted. 

The  relations  of  the  Reformed  Church  to  the  company 
were  somewhat  peculiar.  The  company  was  the  ruler  of 
the  colony,  and  occupied  the  same  relation  to  the  church 


THE    CHURCH  AND    THE  COMPANY.  33 

as  the  state  occupied  in  Holland.  The  company  formally 
established  the  Reformed  religion.  Even  calls  upon  min- 
isters were  not  valid  until  approved  by  the  company.  The 
company  also  promised  to  maintain,  at  its  own  expense, 
clergymen  (each  of  whom  was  to  receive  one  hundred  and 
twenty  fiorins  per  month),  schoolmasters,  and  comforters  of 
the  sick ;  but  these  promises  were  not  always  satisfactorily 
fulfilled. 

The  Amsterdam  Ciiamber  naturally  turned  to  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam  to  furnish  them  with  ministers.  By  that 
body  almost  all  the  colonial  clergy  were  approved  and 
commissioned,  and  with  its  committee  ad  res  exteras  a 
constant  correspondence^  was  maintained.  The  Classis  of 
Amsterdam  was,  in  fact,  the  metropolitan  of  New  Nether- 
land.  For  more  than  a  century,  until  the  attempts  for 
ecclesiastical  independence  were  begun,  its  supremacy  was 
affectionately  acknowledged. 

Minuit's  administration  was,  upon  the  whole,  prosperous. 
It  was  he  who  bought  Manhattan  Island.  The  exports  of 
peltry  trebled  under  him.  The  vessel  which  conveyed  him 
back  carried  five  thousand  beaver-skins. 

MINISTRY    OF    BOGARDUS. 

Governor  Van  Twiller  arrived  in  the  spring  of  1633. 
A  Spanish  caravel  was  captured  on  the  way  and  brought 
safely  into  port.  Rev.  Everardus  Bogardus,  the  second 
clergyman,  and  Adam  Roelandsen,  the  first  schoolmaster, 
were  also  on  board.  The  ministry  of  Bogardus  was  a 
stormy  one,  largely  owing  to  the  bad  character  of  the 
governor.      The    loft   over   the    horse-mill,   in  which    the 

1  See  "  Correspondence  with  Classis  of  Amsterdam,"  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-five  letters,  1638-64,  in  the  Archives  of  General  Synod. 


34  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

people  had  worshiped  since  1626,  was  now  replaced  by  a 
plain  wooden  building,  "  like  a  barn,"  near  the  East  River, 
in  what  is  now  Broad  Street,  between  Pearl  and  Bridge 
Streets.  Near  this  church  were  erected  a  dwelling-house 
and  stable  for  the  "domine."  This  word,  the  vocative  of 
the  Latin  dojuiiiits,  was,  during  the  middle  ages,  the  usual 
title  by  which  learned  men  were  addressed.  It  has.  been 
retained  in  Great  Britain  as  a  designation  of  teachers  of  the 
classical  languages.  In  the  Netherland  churches,  which 
especially  insisted  on  a  learned  ministry,  it  became  the  title 
of  clergymen.  As  such  it  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and  is  still 
used  as  an  honorable  and  affectionate  term  of  address  to 
ministers  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  has  also  passed 
into  use  in  some  other  denominations. 

In  1642  the  wooden  church  gave  place  to  a  stone 
building.  Director  Kieft  was  anxious  to  leave  behind  him 
some  worthy  memorial.  The  idea  of  building  a  church 
was  suggested  to  him  b}^  Captain  De  Vries.  Dining  with 
the  director  one  day,  he  said  it  was  a  shame  that  English 
visitors  should  only  see  such  a  barnlike-looking  building 
for  a  church.  In  New  England  a  fine  church  was  built 
as  soon  as  they  had  provided  houses  for  themselves.  The 
churchwardens  approved  of  Kieft's  object,  but  money  was 
wanting.  Advantage  was  taken  of  the  wedding  of  Dom- 
ine Bogardus's  daughter  to  procure  the  necessary  means. 
Kieft  promised  a  thousand  guilders  from  the  company. 
When  the  guests  were  becoming  somewhat  hilarious,  De 
Vries  subscribed  a  hundred  guilders,  and  asked  the  guests 
to  follow  his  example.  With  light  heads  they  subscribed 
handsomely.  Some  of  them  felt  like  repenting  of  it  after- 
ward, but  they  were  held  to  their  subscriptions.  Against 
the  opinion  of  everybody  the  director  determined  to  locate 
the  church  in  the  fort,  and  this  was  done,  partly  for  secur- 
ity against  the  Indians,  as  it  was  said.     The  church  cost 


MINISTRY  OF  BOGARDUS.  35 

twenty-five  hundred  guilders.  An  ambiguous  inscription 
was  placed  in  the  front  wall:  "Anno  1642.  WiLLEM 
KlEFT,  DiRECTEUR  Generael,  Jieeft  de  gemcente  desen 
temple  doen  bouwen.'"  This  stone  was  found  in  1790,  when 
the  fort  was  demolished.  It  was  taken  to  the  belfry  of 
the  Garden  Street  Church,  and  was  destroyed  in  the  great 
fire  of  1835. 

Domine  Bogardus  in  1638  married,  for  his  second  wife, 
Anneke  Jans.  Her  first  husband,  Roelof  Jansen,  obtained 
from  Director  Van  Twiller  in  1636  a  grant  of  sixty- two 
acres  of  land  west  of  Broadway  and  north  of  the  present 
Warren  Street.  This  was  the  original  conveyance  of  the 
valuable  Trinity  Church  property,  and  was  known  as  the 
domine's  bouwerie,  or  farm.  Bogardus  protested  against 
Kieft's  murderous  slaughter  of  the  neighboring  Indians 
in  1643,  'i^'id  was  not  a  little  persecuted  by  the  governor 
therefor.  After  the  arrival  of  Stuyvesant  in  1647,  Kieft, 
with  a  large  fortune,  together  with  Bogardus,  sailed  in  the 
same  vessel  to  give  an  account  of  their  differences  to  the 
company  and  the  Classis.  The  vessel,  however,  by  mis- 
take, got  off  her  track,  and  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of 
Wales,  and  both  were  lost.^ 

ENGLISH    SETTLERS   IN   NEW    NETHERLAND. 

During  Bogardus's  ministry  the  West  India  Company 
reached  the  height  of  its  prosperity.  Its  fortunes  now 
began  to  wane,  and  its  dissolution,  sooner  or  later,  be- 
came inevitable.  But  now  accessions  began  to  come  to 
New  Netherland  from  New  England,  where  intolerance 
had  begun  to  develop.  In  1641  a  considerable  number  of 
respectable  Englishmen,  with  their  clergymen,  requested 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  i.,  pp.  206,  299,  345,  417;  vol.  ii.,  p.  144;  "  Letters 
in  Amst.  Correspondence." 


36  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

permission  to  settle  under  the  Dutch  domain.  An  ordi- 
nance was  passed  giving  them  certain  freedoms  and  privi- 
leges, among  which  was  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion. i 
This  clergyman  was  Rev.  Francis  Doughty.  This  party 
settled  at  Newtown.  He  for  a  time  officiated  for  the 
English  in  Manhattan.  Anne  Hutchinson  also  sought 
refuge  among  the  Dutch,  and  settled  in  Westchester;  and 
even  Roger  Williams  for  a  time  enjoyed  the  same  privilege. 
In  1644  Kieft  also  granted  land  at  Hempstead,  and  gave 
the  corporators  power  "  to  build  churches  and  exercise  the 
Reformed  religion  which  they  profess,  with  the  ecclesias- 
tical discipline  thereunto  belonging."  ^  Among  these  was 
Rev.  Richard  Denton,  who  came  from  Stamford  with  his 
congregation  and  constituted  the  first  Presbyterian  church 
in  the  province.  Similar  privileges  were  given  to  the  town 
of  Flushing  in  1645.  They  were  "  to  have  and  enjoy  the 
liberty  of  conscience  according  to  the  custom  and  manner 
of  Holland,  without  molestation  or  disturbance  from  any 
magistrate  or  magistrates,  or  any  other  ecclesiastical  min- 
ister." The  same  privileges  were  given  the  same  year  to 
Gravesend,3  at  which  place  Lady  Moody,  persecuted  both 
in  England  and  New  England,  found  rest  and  peace. 

MINISTRY    OF    MEGAPOLENSIS. 

Patroon  Van  Rensselaer  recognized  the  necessity  of  a 
church  on  his  manor.  His  colonists,  he  felt,  must  be  as 
well  conditioned  as  those  at  Manhattan.  He  therefore 
made  an  agreement  in  1642  with  Rev.  John  van  Mekelen- 
burg  (better  known  by  the  Hellenized  name  of  Megapo- 
lensis)  to  serve  his  colony  and  also  teach  the  Indians.  He 
agreed  to  convey  him  and  his  family  free  to  Rensselaer- 

1  "  I^aws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Netherland,"  p.  27. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  43.  3  Ibid.,  pp.  49,  54. 


MINISTRY  OF  MEGAPOIENSIS.  37 

wyck,  provide  him  witli  a  residence,  and  guarantee  him  a 
salary  of  a  thousand  guilders  per  year  for  six  years,  and 
two  hundred  guilders  in  addition  for  the  three  following 
years,  if  satisfied  with  his  services.  The  patroon  objected 
to  the  company's  approving  this  call,  as  a  curtailment  of 
his  feudal  rights,  but  at  last  he  consented,  with  the  under- 
standing that  his  rights  should  be  unprejudiced  thereby. 
A  number  of  emigrants  came  over  with  the  domine.  A 
church  was  built  the  following  year. 

The  new  domine  soon  made  his  influence  felt  in  re- 
straining the  immoralities  of  frontier  life.  He  was  instru- 
mental in  saving  the  life  of  Father  Jogues,  a  Jesuit  mis- 
sionary, from  the  extremity  of  torture  and  probable  death 
at  the  hands  of  the  Mohawk  Indians.  The  priest  had  been 
captured  while  ascending  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  Dutch 
sought  to  ransom  him,  but  were  refused.  At  first  the  In- 
dians despised  his  zeal,  but  after  some  months  began  to 
listen  to  his  teachings,  and  some  of  them  were  baptized. 
They  took  him  with  them  to  Fort  Orange.  While  there 
a  report  was  received  that  the  French  had  defeated  the 
Mohawks.  The  Dutch  commander  now  advised  the  mis- 
sionary not  to  risk  their  vengeance  by  returning,  but  to 
effect  his  escape.  He  remained  in  close  concealment  for 
six  weeks.  Domine  Megapolensis  was  his  constant  friend, 
and  saw  him  safely  embarked  for  New  Amsterdam,  whence 
he  proceeded  to  Europe.  He  subsequently  returned  to 
Canada  and  visited  the  Mohawks,  by  whom  he  was  put 
to  death.  Similar  kindness  was  shown  by  the  Dutch  to 
Fathers  Bressani  and  Poncet. 

Megapolensis  himself  also  learned  the  heavy  language 
of  the  Mohawks,  and  was  able  to  preach  to  them.  A 
number  of  them  united  with  his  church.  He  was  indeed 
the  first  Protestant  missionary  to  the  Indians,  even  preced- 
ing John  Eliot  in  New  England.      Megapolensis  published 


38  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

a  valuable  tract  on  the  Mohawks,  describing  their  country, 
language,  figure,  costumes,  religion,  and  government.^  In 
1649  he  started  on  his  return  to  Europe.  Stopping  in  New- 
Amsterdam,  he  was  prevailed  on  by  Governor  Stuyvesant 
to  remain  there,  that  the  chief  place  might  not  be  destitute 
of  ministerial  service.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  scholar- 
ship, energetic  character,  and  devoted  piety. 

FATHER  JOGUES'S   DESCRIPTION  OF  NEW  NETHERLAND. 

We  have  an  interesting  description  of  New  Netherland- 
in  1644  from  the  hand  of  Father  Jogues,  above  alluded  to. 
He  was  the  first  Catholic  priest  who  ever  visited  New 
York.  While  at  Fort  Orange  and  New  Amsterdam  he 
was  a  close  observer.  After  a  brief  account  of  the  coun- 
try he  alludes  to  the  fort  at  Manhattan,  in  which,  he  says, 
"  stood  a  pretty  large  church,  built  of  stone,  the  house  of 
the  governor,  whom  they  call  director-general,  quite  neatly 
built  of  brick,  the  storehouses  and  barracks."  He  con- 
tinues: "On  this  island  of  Manhate,  and  in  its  environs, 
there  may  well  be  four  or  five  hundred  men  of  different 
sects  and  nations.  The  director-general  told  me  that 
there  were  persons  there  of  eighteen  different  languages. 
They  are  scattered  here  and  there  on  the  river,  above  and 
below  as  the  beauty  and  convenience  of  the  spot  invited 
each  to  settle.  Some  mechanics,  however,  who  ply  their 
trades  are  ranged  under  the  fort.  All  the  others  were 
exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the  natives,  who,  in  the  year 
1643,  while  I  was  there,  actually  killed  some  twoscore 
Hollanders,  and  burnt  many  houses,  and  barns  full  of 
wheat.  .  .  .  No  religion  is  publicly  exercised  but  the  Cal- 
vinist,  and  orders  are  to  admit  none  but  Calvinists.     But 

1  Translation  in  Hazard'.s  "State  Papers."  vol.  i.,  pp.  517-526,  and 
"  N.  Y.  Hist.  See.  Col.,"  vol.  iii. 

2  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iv.,  pp.  13-15. 


FATHER   JOGUES\S  DESCRIPTION. 


39 


this  is  not  observed,  for  there  are,  besides  Calvinists,  in 
the  colony,  Cathohcs,  Enghsh  Puritans,  Lutherans,  Ana- 
baptists— here  called  Mennonists — etc.  .  .  .  When  any 
one  comes  to  settle  in  the  country  they  lend  him  horses, 
cows,  etc. ;  they  give  him  provisions,  all  which  he  repays 
as  soon  as  he  is  at  ease ;  and  as  to  the  land,  he  pays  in  to 
the  West  India  Company,  after  ten  years,  the  tenth  of  the 
produce  which  he  reaps.  .  .  .  The  English  come  very  near 
to  them,  preferring  to  hold  lands  under  the  Dutch,  who 
ask  nothing  from  them,  rather  than  to  be  dependent  on 
English  lords,  who  exact  rents  and  would  fain  be  abso- 
lute." On  the  South  River  "  there  is  also  a  Dutch  settle- 
ment, but  the  Swedes  have  at  its  mouth  another,  extremely 
well  provided  with  men  and  cannon.  .  .  .  There  is  already 
some  little  commerce  with  Virginia  and  New  England.  .  .  . 
Deer-hunting  is  abundant.  There  are  some  houses  here 
built  of  stone.  They  make  lime  of  oyster-shells,  great 
heaps  of  which  are  found  here,  made  formerly  by  the  sav- 
ages, who  subsisted  in  part  by  this  fishery."  After  re- 
ferring to  the  climate  and  fruits  and  the  beautiful  river,  he 
briefly  describes  Rensselaervv3xk,  or  Albany.  There  is  "  a 
wretched  little  fort,  called  Fort  Orange,  built  of  logs,  with 
four  or  five  pieces  of  cannon.  .  .  .  This  is  maintained  by 
the  West  India  Company."  There  is  "  a  colony  sent  here 
by  this  Renselaer,  who  is  the  patroon.  This  colony  is  com- 
posed of  about  a  hundred  persons,  who  reside  in  some 
twenty-five  or  thirty  houses,  built  along  the  river.  In  the 
principal  house  resides  the  patroon's  agent ;  the  minister 
has  his  apart,  in  which  service  is  performed.  .  .  .  Some 
[Indian]  nations  near  the  sea  having  murdered  some  Hol- 
landers of  distant  settlements,  the  Hollanders  killed  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Indians.  .  .  ".  As  a  result  of  these  troubles, 
troops  from  New  England  assi'sting,  finally  about  sixteen 
hundred  Indians  were  slain." 


40  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

It  was  in  1644  that  the  second  term  of  twenty-one  years 
(1602-44)  of  the  East  India  Company  expired.  The  first 
term  of  twenty-four  years  (1621-45)  of  the  West  India 
Company  was  now  about  to  expire.  The  latter  company, 
conscious  of  faihng  fortune,  now  offered  to  transfer  all  its 
colonies  and  other  property  to  the  East  India  Company. 
But  as  its  assets  were  five  million  florins  less  than  its  liabil- 
ities, the  East  India  Company  refused  the  offer.  The  com- 
pany's charter  was  extended. 

GOVERNOR    PETER    STUYVESANT. 

Under  the  maladministration  of  Kieft,  with  the  Indian 
slaughters  above  alluded  to,  the  colony  was  nearly  ruined. 
Under  Stuyvesant  it  began  again  to  revive  and  flourish. 
Stuy vesant  was  an  elder  in  the  Reformed  Church.  Almost 
the  first  act  of  Stuyvesant  was  to  secure  an  ordinance 
(1648)  for  the  better  observance  of  the  Sabbath.^  Rev. 
John  Backerus  was  temporarily  supplying  the  church  of 
Manhattan  (1647-49)  at  this  time.  A  Sabbath  afternoon 
service  was  also  now  begun,  and  all  were  required  to  at- 
tend. Stuyvesant  was,  however,  very  arbitrary,  and  the 
people  began  to  demand  the  right  of  sharing  in  the  gov- 
ernment. Stuyvesant  was  compelled  to  yield.  An  elec- 
tive judiciary  was  secured,  and  the  city  was  incorporated 
in  1653,  with  a  burgher  government  after  the  model  of  the 
cities  of  Holland. 

MINISTRIES    OF   DRISIUS   AND    POLHEMUS. 

The  West  India  Company  now  wished  to  have  a  minis- 
ter who  could  preach  also  in  English  and  French,  as  well 
as  Dutch.     English  settlers  were  becoming  numerous,  and 

^  "  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Netherland,"  p.  98. 


DKISIUS  AND   rOLHEMUS.  4 1 

it  was  thought  important  to  secure  their  interest  in  the 
Reformed  Church.  French  Huguenots  were  also  coming 
over  in  increasing  numbers.  Rev.  Samuel  Drisius  had  been 
pastor  of  the  Dutch  Church  of  Austin  Friars  in  London,  and 
could  preach  in  Dutch,  German,  French,  or  English.  The 
company  therefore  asked  for  his  appointment,  and  secured 
it.  He  labored  in  New  Netherland  for  twenty-one  years 
(1652-73).  He  at  once  began  to  preach  to  the  French  in 
the  city,  and  after  1660,  as  long  as  his  health  permitted, 
he  also  served  the  Huguenot  and  Vaudois  settlers  on  Staten 
Island. 1  He  was  the  first  to  propose  a  Latin  school  in  New 
Amsterdam,  to  save  the  youth  the  expense  and  trouble  of 
going  to  Boston  for  a  classical  training.-  The  project  was 
regarded  with  favor,  but  no  Latin  teacher  came  over  until 
1659,  when  the  company  sent  Dr.  Alexander  Carolus  Cur- 
tius,  at  a  salary  of  five  hundred  guilders.  The  city  gov- 
ernment allowed  him  two  hundred  more.  He  also  prac- 
ticed medicine.  \x\  1662  he  was  succeeded  by  Domine 
Aegidius  Luyck,  who  remained  until  1676. 

Rev.  John  T.  Polhemus  (1654-76)  was  the  first  minister 
on  Long  Island  of  the  Reformed  Church.  He  officiated 
at  Flatbush,  and  occasionally  at  Flatlands,  Gravesend,  and 
Breuckelen.  The  West  India  Company  being  obliged  to 
evacuate  Brazil  in  1654,  where  Polhemus  had  been  sta- 
tioned, he  came  to  New  Netherland,  while  his  wife  went 
to  Holland  to  collect  his  salary  of  the  company.  Before 
this  the  Dutch  of  Midwout,  or  Flatbush,  and  other  locali- 
ties on  Long  Island,  were  obliged  to  cross  the  East  River 
to  attend  service.  To  save  them  this  trouble  a  church 
had  been  organized  at  Midwout  by  Megapolensis,  and  the 
Classis  had  been  asked  to  send  over  a  minister.     Just  at 

1  See  Clute's  "  Hist,  of  Staten  Island,"  p.  255. 

2  "Amsterdam Cor  ;  "  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  69 ;  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  i, 
p.  426;  vol.  iii.,  pp.  75,  646;  "Gen.  and  Biograph.  Record,"  vol.  vii.,  p.  bi. 


42  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

this  juncture  Polhenuis  arrived.  Stopping  on  his  way  in 
Delaware,  he  organized  a  church  while  there  at  New 
Amstel,  afterward  New  Castle.  He  was  the  first  to  pro- 
pose an  association  of  the  American  ministers  and  churches. 
As  early  as  1662  he  writes:  "We  stand  in  need  of  com- 
munication with  one  another  in  the  form  of  a  Classis,  after 
the  manner  of  the  fatherland.  It  is  desirable  that  this  be 
begun,  although  I  do  not  know  of  much  business  to  be 
transacted."^     He  was  the  first  pastor  at  Brooklyn. 

FEARS  FOR  THE  FUTURE  OF  THE  COLONY — BEGINNING 
OF  INTOLERANCE. 

The  failing  fortunes  of  the  West  India  Company,  evi- 
denced by  its  inability  to  pay  its  dividends,  the  increasing 
encroachments  on  the  part  of  New  England,  with  the  con- 
sciousness of  military  weakness,  made  the  governor  fearful 
for  the  safety  of  the  province.  These  circumstances,  to- 
gether with  Stuyvesant's  arbitrary  character  in  general,  go 
far  to  explain  the  intolerant  spirit  toward  other  bodies  of 
Christians  which  now  began  to  manifest  itself.  Freedom 
of  worship,  as  in  Holland,  had  been  granted  frequently  by 
express  legislation,  as  we  have  seen.  But  now,  in  contrast 
with  almost  all  Dutch  precedent,  a  dififerent  policy  began 
to  be  pursued.  It  can  only  be  explained  by  the  fears  which 
began  to  arise  respecting  the  continuance  of  the  province 
under  the  Dutch  sway,  together  with  the  misfortune  of  a 
government  by  a  close  commercial  corporation  having  its 
own  selfish  ends  in  view.  This  unchristian  spirit  of  bigotry 
was  a  temporary  blemish  on  the  colony. 

The  Lutherans  about  1650  were  becoming  numerous  in 
the  province,  and  they  wanted  to  call  a  clergyman  of  their 

1  "Amsterdam  Cor.,"  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,p.  70;  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  ii., 
p.  72. 


PERSECUTION   OF    THE   LUTHERANS.  43 

own.  They  had  been  attendants  on  the  Dutch  church. 
They  asked,  in  1652,  the  privilege  of  public  services  by 
themselves.  Stuyvesant  declined,  because,  as  he  said,  he 
was  bound  by  his  oath  to  support  the  Reformed  religion. 
The  Lutherans  then  made  the  same  petition  to  the  West 
India  Company  and  to  the  States- General.  Megapolensis 
and  Drisius  wrote ^  to  the  Classis,  October  6,  1653,  oppos- 
ing the  request. 

They  began  by  making  grateful  acknowledgments  of  the 
zeal  of  the  company  and  the  Classis  in  establishing  the 
Reformed  religion  in  the  province.  They  then  referred  to 
the  Lutheran  request  to  the  governor,  in  October,  1652, 
to  call  a  Lutheran  minister  from  Holland,  and  to  organize 
a  separate  church.  "  This  would  tend  to  the  injury  of  our 
church,  the  diminution  of  the  hearers,  and  to  the  increase 
of  contention,  of  which  we  have  had  a  sufficiency  for  a 
while  past.  It  would  also  pave  the  way  for  other  sects,  so 
that  in  time  our  place  would  prove  a  receptacle  for  all  sorts 
of  heretics  and  fanatics."  After  referring  to  two  requests 
to  the  governor,  as  well  as  those  to  the  States- General  and 
to  the  West  India  Company,  they  continue :  "  Therefore 
it  is  our  humble  and  earnest  request  that  your  Rev.  body 
will  use  your  influence  with  the  Honorable  Directors  of  the 
Company,  that  they  may  so  provide  and  determine  that 
the  project  of  our  Lutheran  friends  may  be  prevented. 
Thus  the  welfare,  prosperity,  and  edification  of  the  church 
here  may  be  promoted.  For  as  yet,  while  no  other  relig- 
ion than  the  Reformed  has  been  openly  exercised,  all  who 
wish  to  engage  in  public  worship  come  to  our  church." 
Some  of  the  Lutherans  had  also  united  in  the  communion 
of  the  Supper.  "  We  have  also  communicated  these  mat- 
ters to  the  Hceren  inajorcs.  But  we  request  your  Rev. 
body  occasionally  to  refresh  their  memory,  lest,  through 
1  Letter  62,  in  "  Amst.  Cor." 


44  7'^^^'  refokmi-:d  ciiukch,  dutch.        \q\\kv.  i. 

want  of  proper  attention  to  the  subject,  the  requested  per- 
mission should  be  given."  They  declare  that  Stuyvesant 
would  rather  resign  his  office  than  to  have  the  request  of 
the  Lutherans  granted. 

The  West  India  Company,  accordingly,  at  first  refused 
the  Lutherans  their  just  request.  Stuyvesant  was  directed 
to  use  all  mild  means  to  allure  the  Lutherans  to  attend 
Dutch  churches.  The  Lutherans  yielded  temporarily,  but 
in  1656  renewed  their  request,  not  now  through  Stuyvesant, 
but  directly  to  the  company.  They  demanded  the  same 
rights  as  Lutherans  and  others  enjoyed  in  Holland. 

Many  sects  had  developed  in  New  Netherland,  owing  to 
the  well-understood  Dutch  toleration  which  had  been  en- 
joyed up  to  1654.  At  Newtown  there  were  many  Inde- 
pendents and  a  few  Presbyterians.  John  Moore  preached 
there,  but  did  not  administer  the  sacraments.  At  Graves- 
end  there  were  many  Anabaptists.  They  rejected  infant 
baptism,  the  Sabbath,  and  the  very  office  of  preacher;  for 
through  these  things,  said  they,  come  many  difficulties. 
The  Puritans  showed  some  strength  at  Westchester,  where 
sermons  were  read  to  them  out  of  a  book.  There  was  a 
Lutheran  minister  at  the  South  River  settlement,  but  his 
character  was  not  good.  Plushing  had  recently  driven 
away  Rev.  Francis  Doughty ;  and  Rev.  Richard  Denton,  a 
Presbyterian,  who  had  been  preaching  at  Hempstead  for 
ten  years,  was  getting  into  trouble  for  baptizing  the  chil- 
dren of  non-communicants.  There  were  now  only  four 
Dutch  ministers  on  duty  in  the  colony.  Megapolensis  and 
Drisius  were  at  New  Amsterdam,  occasionally  officiating 
at  Stuyvesant's  bouwerie  and  Harlem,  and  perhaps  also 
on  Staten  Island.  Schaats  was  at  Beverwyck,  afterward 
Albany.  Polhemus  labored  at  Flatbush  and  other  places 
on  Long  Island.     At  Kingston  and  on  the  South  River  a 


PERSECUTION   OF   THE  LUTHERANS.  45 

sermon  was  read  on  Sundays  out  of  a  book.  There  were 
only  three  schoohnasters  among  the  Dutch  in  the  whole 
country. 

The  Dutch  ministers  in  their  correspondence  often  re- 
ferred to  the  increase  of  the  so-called  sects.  In  February, 
1656,  they  made  a  formal  complaint  against  them.  This 
was  made  to  Stuyvesant,  and  not  to  the  Classis  or  the  com- 
pany. They  say  that  many  unqualified  persons  were  hold- 
ing conventicles  and  preaching,  and  that  nothing  but  con- 
fusion and  disorder  could  result  therefrom  in  church  and 
state.  The  governor  was  in  entire  sympathy  with  them, 
if  he  did  not,  indeed,  suggest  the  complaint. 

Stuyvesant  and  his  council  accordingly  passed  an  ordi- 
nance,!  February  i,  1656,  forbidding  all  unauthorized  con- 
venticles and  the  preaching  of  unqualified  persons.  He 
assumed  that  this  was  "  to  promote  the  glory  of  God, 
the  increase  of  the  Reformed  religion,  and  the  peace  and 
harmony  of  the  country."  Every  unlicensed  preacher  who 
should  violate  this  ordinance  was  to  be  fined  ;^ioo  Flem- 
ish. The  ordinance,  however,  disclaimed  "  any  prejudice 
to  any  patent  heretofore  given,  any  lording  over  the  con- 
science, or  any  prohibition  of  the  reading  of  God's  holy 
word  and  the  domestic  praying  and  worshiping  of  each 
one  in  his  own  family."  He  had  "proclamations  "  posted 
in  different  parts  of  the  colony  proclaiming  this  ordinance. 
The  law  was  enforced,  and  fines  and  imprisonments  fol- 
lowed— and  also  righteous  complaints  to  the  West  India 
Company  and  to  the  States- General.  Friends  in  Holland 
remonstrated  against  Stuyvesant's  action,  and  compelled 
the  West  India  Company  to  promise  the  same  toleration 
in  New  Netherland  as  was  enjoyed  in  Holland.  The  com- 
pany, accordingly,  took  the  following  action,  dated  June 
1  ^'  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Netherland,"  p.  213. 


46  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

14,  1656.  They  say:  "We  should  have  gladly  seen  that 
your  Honor  had  not  posted  up  the  transmitted  edict 
against  the  Lutherans,  and  had  not  punished  them  b}- 
imprisonment,  which  they  declare  was  inflicted  on  them, 
inasmuch  as  it  has  always  been  our  intention  to  treat  them 
with  all  peaceableness  and  quietness.  Wherefore  your 
Honor  shall  not  hereafter  allow  any  more  such  or  similar 
edicts  to  be  published  without  our  previous  knowledge,  but 
suffer  the  matter  to  pass  in  silence,  and  permit  them  their 
free  worship  in  their  houses." 

The  Lutherans  received  this  information  before  Stuyve- 
sant  did.  In  October,  1656,  they  accordingly  informed  him, 
under  the  form  of  a  petition,  concerning  this  action  of  the 
company.  They  said :  "  The  Honorable  Directors  of 
the  West  India  Company,  our  patrons,  have  granted  their 
supplications,  and  in  a  full  college  have  resolved  and  de- 
creed that  in  the  West  Indies  and  New  Netherland,  under 
their  jurisdiction,  the  doctrines  of  the  unaltered  Augsburg 
Confession  of  Faith  might  and  should  be  tolerated  in  the 
same  manner  as  in  Holland,  under  its  praiseworthy  ad- 
ministration." They  therefore  requested  that  no  further 
obstructions  be  placed  in  the  way  of  their  worship.  "  Un- 
der God's  blessing  we  design  to  conduct  this  by  prayer, 
reading,  and  singing  until  some  time  next  spring,  when 
we  hope  and  expect,  by  the  favor  of  God,  that  a  qualified 
person  shall  be  obtained  from  the  fatherland  as  our  pastor 
and  teacher."  Stuyvesant  answered  that  he  would  seek 
information  as  to  these  statements ;  in  the  meantime  the 
old  orders  would  remain. 

In  the  spring  of  1657  Rev.  John- Ernest  Goetwater,  the 
Lutheran  clergyman,  arrived.  He  was  sent  over  by  the 
Lutheran  church  of  Amsterdam.  Neither  the  company 
nor  the  Dutch  Classis  had  been  consulted.  I^ut  Goetwater 
was  cited  before  the  authorities,  hampered  in  his  move- 


GROWTH   OF   THE    CHURCH.  47 

ments,  and  finally  ordered  to  return  to  Holland,  which 
order  he  evaded  for  a  while.  The  vacillating  company 
finally  approved  of  this  order,  "  though  it  might  have  been 
done  in  a  more  gentle  way,"  they  add. 


GROWTH    OF   THE    CHURCH. 

The  church  continued  to  grow  slowly.  In  1661,  Bergen, 
in  New  Jersey,  was  settled.  The  people  erected  a  log 
church,  and  twenty-seven  members  were  at  once  enrolled. 
For  ninety  years  they  remained  without  a  settled  pastor, 
but  they  either  conducted  the  services  themselves  or  had 
supplies  on  Mondays  from  New  York.  After  churches 
were  organized  at  Hackensack,  Passaic,  and  elsewhere  in 
New  Jersey,  they  occasionally  had  assistance  from  these 
sources.  The  French  and  Waldenses  now  organized  on 
the  south  side  of  Staten  Island,  and  Drisius  visited  them 
bimonthly.  In  the  same  year  some  Frenchmen  founded 
the  church  of  Bushwyck  on  Long  Island,  and  a  church 
partly  French  and  partly  Dutch  was  formed  at  Harlem,  in 
which  Michiel  Zyperius  (Siperius),  a  proponent,  preached 
for  the  French  as  early  as  1659. 

But  while  Stuyvesant  was  pursuing  his  narrow  policy, 
contrary  to  the  views  of  the  company,  the  company  itself 
was  negotiating^  with  Puritans  in  England  (1661),  ofifering 
them  the  most  liberal  terms,  and  guaranteeing  them  per- 
fect freedom  of  worship,  if  they  would  settle  in  New  Jersey 
under  the  company's  sway.  The  circumstances  of  the 
Puritans  in  England  after  the  fall  of  the  Commonwealth 
and  with  the  accession  of  Charles  II.  were  anything  but 
pleasant. 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  37-39. 


48  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

PERSECUTION   OF   QUAKERS. 

There  had  been  a  lull  of  a  couple  of  years  (1659-61)  in 
Stuyvesant's  unholy  zeal.  But  now  reports  came  to  him 
from  Jamaica  and  neighboring  towns  that  many  Quakers'^ 
who  had  settled  on  Long  Island  had  been  holding  their  con- 
venticles all  this  time.  Stuyvesant  and  his  council  therefore 
passed  another  ordinance-  (1662)  against  conventicles,  un- 
der penalty  of  fifty  guilders  for  every  person  present  and 
twice  as  much  for  the  preacher  or  exhorter,  or  owner  of 
the  building.  Increasing  penalties  were  to  be  enforced 
for  renewed  offenses.^ 

The  penalties  fell  especially  on  Quakers  in  Jamaica. 
Fines  and  imprisonments  were  enforced,  and  the  place  was 
subjected  to  official  espionage.  John  Bowne  was  one  of 
the  chief  sufferers,  being  finally  banished.  But  this  proved 
the  turning-point  in  this  sad  history.  He  so  represented 
matters  upon  his  arrival  in  Holland  that  the  company  re- 
buked Stuyvesant  (1663)  for  his  bigotry  as  follows: 

"  Although  it  is  our  cordial  desire  that  similar  and  other 
sectarians  may  not  be  found  -there,  yet,  as  the  contrary 
seems  to  be  the  fact,  we  doubt  very  much  whether  rigorous 
proceedings  against  them  ought  not  to  be  discontinued ; 
unless,  indeed,  you  intend  to  check  and  destroy  your 
population,  which,  in  the  youth  of  your  existence,  ought 
rather  to  be  encouraged  by  all  possible  means.  Where- 
fore it  is  our  opinion  that  some  connivance  is  useful,  and 
that  at  least  the  consciences  of  men  ought  to  remain  free 
and  unshackled.  Let  every  one  remain  free  as  long  as  he 
is  modest,  moderate,  his  political  conduct  irreproachable, 
and  as  long  as  he  does  not  offend  others  or  oppose  the 

1  See  Onderdonk's  "  Annals  of  Hempstead,"  etc. 

2  "  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Netherland,"  p.  428. 

3  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Letters  78,  79. 


SABBATH  AND  ANTI-LIQUOR  LAWS.  49 

government.  This  maxim  of  moderation  has  always  been 
the  guide  of  our  magistrates  in  this  city,  and  the  conse- 
quence has  been  that  people  have  flocked  from  every  land 
to  this  asylum.  Tread  thus  in  their  steps,  and  we  doubt 
not  you  will  be  blessed."  This  ended  persecution  in  New 
Netherland.  A  couple  of  years  later  Bowne  returned  to 
New  York,  and  met  Stuyvesant  as  a  private  citizen  who 
seemed  ashamed  of  what  he  had  done. 

SABBATH    AND    ANTI-LIQUOR    LAWS. 

In  October,  1656,^  the  director  and  council  passed  an- 
other ordinance  for  the  better  observance  of  the  Sabbath. 
Laws  had  been  repeatedly  enacted  on  this  subject,  gener- 
ally closely  connected  with  the  prohibition  of  liquor-selling 
on  that  day.  In  1641  it  was  forbidden  to  tap  beer  during 
divine  service.  In  1647  it  was  declared  that  inasmuch  as 
the  sale  of  strong  drinks  produced  many  brawls  on  Sunday, 
therefore  none  should  be  sold  before  2  P.M.  on  that  day,  or 
4  P.M.  when  there  was  divine  service,  except  to  travelers 
and  boarders ;  and  none  should  be  sold  any  day  after  9  P.M. 
In  March,  1648,  an  elaborate  Sabbath  law  was  enacted. 
The  former  laws  were  recapitulated  and  renewed.  It  is 
asserted  in  the  preamble  that  one  fourth  of  the  houses 
in  New  Amsterdam  are  devoted  to  the  sale  of  liquors.  It 
was  enjoined  that  no  new  taverns  should  be  opened  with- 
out permission,  and  the  present  tavern-keepers  should  only 
continue  for  four  years ;  neither  could  they  sell  out  their 
business.  They  were  also  forbidden  to  sell  to  Indians, 
and  they  must  register  their  names.  In  April,  1648,  as  we 
have  seen,  an  ordinance  was  passed  for  a  Sunday  afternoon 
service  in  addition  to  that  of  the  morning.  During  these 
services  no  tapping,  hunting,  fishing,  or  trading  should  be 
1  "  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Netherland,"  pp.  258-263. 


50  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chai>.  i. 

allowed,  under  a  penalty  of  twenty-five  florins.  In  1656 
these  Sunday  laws  were  still  more  fully  elaborated,  show- 
ing a  growth  of  healthy  sentiment  for  a  stricter  observance 
of  the  Sabbath.  The  director-general  and  council  forbade 
"  all  persons  from  performing  or  doing  on  the  Lord's  day 
of  rest,  by  us  called  Sunday,  any  ordinary  labor,  such  as 
plowing,  sowing,  mowing,  building,  wood-sawing,  smith- 
ing, bleaching,  hunting,  fishing,  or  any  other  work  which 
may  be  lawful  on  other  days,  on  pain  of  forfeiting  one 
pound  Flemish  for  each  person  ;  much  less  any  lower  or 
unlawful  exercise  and  amusement,  drunkenness,  frequent- 
ing taverns  or  tippling-houses,  dancing,  playing  ball,  cards, 
trick-track,  tennis,  cricket,  or  ninepins,  going  on  pleasure- 
parties  in  a  boat,  car,  or  wagon,  before,  between,  or  dur- 
ing divine  service,  on  pain  of  a  double  fine;  especially,  all 
tavern-keepers  or  tapsters  from  entertaining  any  clubs,  or 
tapping;  bestowing,  giving,  or  selling,  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, any  brandy,  wine,  beer,  or  strong  liquor  to  any 
person  before,  between,  or  during  the  sermons,  under  a 
fine  of  six  guilders,  to  be  forfeited  by  the  tavern-keeper 
or  tapster  for  each  person,  and  three  guilders  for  every 
person  found  drinking  at  the  time  aforesaid. 

"  In  like  manner,  tavern-keepers  or  tapsters  shall  not 
accommodate  or  entertain  any  company,  or  tap,  sell,  or 
give  any  wine,  beer,  distilled  liquors  or  waters  to  any 
person  at  night,  on  Sundays  or  on  other  days,  after  the 
posting  of  the  guard  or  ringing  of  the  bell,  on  the  same 
penalty;  the  domestic  guest,  persons  appointed  on  public 
business  with  the  consent  and  by  order  of  the  magistrate, 
alone  excepted." 

Then  follow  laws  forbidding  the  selling  or  giving  liquor 
to  Indians,  of  fraud  in  the  weight  of  bread,  of  mixing 
bran  with  flour.  Bakers  and  tapsters  were  required  to 
renew  tlieir  licenses  quarterly.  The  fee  was  one  pound 
Flemish.      TIic    fines    for  violation  were  to  go,  one   third 


MINISTRY   OF  SELYNS.  5  I 

to  the  officer  who  enters  the  complaint,  one  third  to  the 
church  or  the  poor,  and  one  third  for  the  pubHc  benefit. 

There  were  subsequent  references,  more  or  less  full,  to 
these  Sunday  laws  in  1657  and  1658.  Different  towns 
also  passed  their  own  local  ordinances  concerning  Sabbath 
observance.  In  1663  the  sale  of  liquor  on  the  Sabbath 
was  forbidden  between  sunrise  and  sunset.^ 

FATHER    LE    MOYNE. 

In  1657-58,  Father  Le  Moyne,  a  Jesuit  from  Canada, 
spent  the  winter  in  New  Amsterdam.  There  were  a  num- 
ber of  Catholics  already  residing  there.  A  friendship  grew 
up  between  Le  Moyne  and  Megapolensis,  especially  on 
account  of  the  latter's  early  labors  among  the  Mohawks. 
Le  Moyne  told  him  of  the  salt-springs  which  he  had 
discovered  in  1654  in  Onondaga.  Megapolensis  could 
hardly  believe  it.  In  writing  to  the  Classis  subsequently 
he  referred  to  the  matter,  and  added,  "  I  will  not  discuss 
whether  this  be  true  or  whether  it  is  a  Jesuit  lie." 

MINISTRY    OF    SELYNS. 

The  company  at  length  induced  Rev.  Henry  Selyns  and 
Mr.  Herman  Blom  to  come  to  New  Netherland.  Mr.  Blom 
proved  acceptable  to  the  people  of  Kingston,  and  accord- 
ingly returned  to  Holland  for  ordination.  Mr.  Selyns 
settled  over  the  congregations  of  Breuckelen  and  adjoin- 
ing places,  from  Wallabout  to  Gowanus.  Breuckelen  had 
now  thirty-one  families  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-four 
persons.  Selyns  also  occasionally  preached  to  the  Hugue- 
nots on  Staten  Island.  Steps  were  taken  at  once  to  build 
a  church  in  Breuckelen ;  meantime  the  people  worshiped 
in  a  barn.      Stuyvesant  subscribed  two  hundred  and  fifty 

1  "  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Netherland,"  p.  448. 


52  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

guilders  toward  Selyn's  salary,  provided  he  would  preach 
on  Sunday  afternoons  at  his  bouwerie  on  Manhattan  Isl- 
and. The  director  had  there  about  forty  negroes,  who 
would  thus  receive  religious  instruction.  Selyns  agreed  to 
do  this.  Stuyvesant  urged  that  other  clergymen  should 
be  sent  over  to  supply  New  Utrecht,  Gravesend,  and  New 
Harlem,  besides  a  village  of  about  one  hundred  and  thirty 
families  on  the  North  River.  The  church  at  Beverwyck 
(Albany),  under  Schaats,  had  in  1660  about  two  hundred 
members.  Selyns  remained  only  four  years,  the  term  for 
which  he  had  engaged  himself.  He  returned,  as  he  said, 
to  gladden  the  eyes  of  his  aged  parents.  He  subsequently 
returned  to  America  in  1682,  and  played  a  most  important 
part  in  resisting  the  establishment  of  the  English  Church 
over  a  population  which  was  overwhelmingly  Dutch. 

CATECHETICAL    ORDINANCE. 

The  last  ordinance  of  New  Netherland  on  the  subject  of 
religion  was  passed  in  March,  1664,  and  related  to  the 
more  careful  instruction  of  youth  in  the  principles  of  the 
Christian  religion.  Catechetical  instruction  has  always 
been  one  of  the  strong  points  of  the  Dutch  Church,  and 
it  seems  appropriate  to  give  this  last  ordinance  of  New 
Netherland  in  this  connection.      It  is  as  follows:^ 

"  Whereas  it  is  most  highly  necessary  and  most  impor- 
tant that  the  youth  from  childhood  up  be  instructed  not 
only  in  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic,  but  especially  and 
chiefly  in  the  principles  and  fundamentals  of  the  Reformed 
religion,  according  to  the  lesson  of  that  wise  King,  Solo- 
mon— '  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  shall  go  :  and  when 
he  is  old,  he  will  not  depart  from  it ' — so  that  in  time  such 
men  may  proceed  therefrom  as  may  be  fit  to  serve  their 

1  "  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  New  Nctlierland,"  p.  461. 


CATECIIEriCAL    ORDINANCES.  53 

fatherland  as  well  in  the  church  as  in  the  state.  This, 
then,  being  taken  into  particular  consideration  by  the 
director-general  and  council  of  New  Netherland,  because 
the  number  of  children  is,  through  the  merciful  blessing  of 
the  Lord,  considerably  increasing  here,  they  have  deemed 
it  necessary,  in  order  that  so  useful  and  God-acceptable  a 
work  may  be  the  more  effectually  promoted,  to  recom- 
mend and  command  the  schoolmasters,  as  we  do  hereby, 
that  they  shall  appear  in  the  church  with  the  children 
committed  to  their  care  and  intrusted  to  them,  on  Wednes- 
day, before  the  commencement  of  the  sermon,  in  order, 
after  the  conclusion  of  divine  service,  that  each  may,  in 
the  presence  of  the  reverend  ministers  and  elders  who 
may  be  present,  examine  his  scholars  as  to  what  they 
have  committed  to  memory  of  the  Christian  command- 
ments and  catechism,  and  what  progress  they  have  made ; 
after  which  performance  the  children  shall  be  dismisse'd  for 
that  day,  and  allowed  a  decent  recreation." 

CONQUEST    BY   THE    ENGLISH. 

But  the  English  conquest  was  at  hand.  The  West  India 
Company  had  grandly  succeeded  for  a  decade  or  two,  in  a 
business  point  of  view.  The  power  and  prestige  of  Hol- 
land had  also  been  wonderfully  increased,  while  Spain  and 
Portugal  had  been  deeply  humbled.  But  the  intoxica- 
tion of  their  brilliant  and  marvelous  success  brought  on  at 
length  an  overwhelming  bankruptcy,  and  this  was  one  of 
the  causes  which  led  the  Dutch  colony  to  fall  an  easy  prey 
to  the  English.  The  right  of  the  Dutch  to  occupy  the 
Hudson  had  always  been  disputed  by  the  English.  Rumors 
of  war  were  becoming  rife;  but  by  repeated  falsehoods 
the  Dutch  minister  in  England  had  been  completely  de- 
ceived concerning  the  king's  intentions.     Before  the  sailing 


54  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

of  the  fleet,  however,  Charles  II.  had  granted  the  whole 
territory  between  the  Connecticut  and  the  Delaware  to  his 
brother  James,  the  Duke  of  York  and  Albany.  When  the 
fleet  appeared  and  demanded  the  surrender,  there  was  no 
adequate  force  at  hand  to  defend  the  colony.  With  great 
reluctance,  and  only  upon  the  urgent  advice  of  the  clergy- 
men to  save  unnecessary  bloodshed,  Stuyvesant  surren- 
dered, and  New  Netherland  passed  without  a  blow  under 
the  dominion  of  the  English.  The  duke  became  the  pro- 
prietary ruler  of  the  province  of  New  York  only  ;  for  while 
the  fleet  was  yet  on  the  sea,  to  raise  money  for  his  extrav- 
agances he  ceded  New  Jersey  to  Carteret  and  Berkeley. 
There  were  at  this  time  three  cities,  thirty  villages,  and  ten 
thousand  inhabitants  in  the  province. 

The  Dutch  secured  excellent  terms  at  the  surrender. 
They  were  to  continue  free  denizens,  to  enjoy  their  private 
property,  to  dispose  of  it  at  pleasure,  and  were  to  enjoy 
their  own  customs  concerning  inheritances.  In  reference 
to  religion  Article  VIII.  reads:  "The  Dutch  here  shall 
injoy  the  liberty  of  their  consciences  in  divine  worship  and 
in  church  discipline."^ 

Domine  Drisius  informed  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  of 
the  surrender  in  the  following  letter: 


"no.    145.     REV.    SAMUEL     DRISIUS     TO    THE     CLASSIS     OF 
AMSTERDAM. 

Manhattan,  September  15,  1664. 
"  To  the  Reverend,  Learned,  and  Pious  BretJircn  of  the 
Reverend  Classis  of  Amsterdam  : 
"  I  cannot  refrain  informing  you  of  our  present  condition, 
viz.,  that  we  are  now  brought  under  the  government  of  the 
king  of  England. 

1  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  251. 


CONQUEST  BY   THE  ENGLISH.  55 

"  On  the  26th  August  there  arrived  in  the  bay  of  the 
North  River,  near  Staten  Island,  four  large  men-of-war 
or  frigates,  well  mounted,  and  manned  with  soldiers  and 
marines.  They  had  a  patent  or  commission  from  the 
king  of  Great  Britain  to  summon  this  province  to  sur- 
render, in  the  name  of  his  Majesty,  and  to  take  possession 
of  it.  If  this  was  not  done  amicably  the  place  was  to  be 
attacked  with  violence,  and  everything  was  to  be  given 
up  to  the  English  soldiers  for  sacking,  rapine,  and  booty. 
The  people  here  were  not  a  little  frightened  at  the  arrival 
of  these  frigates. 

"  Our  rulers,  the  director  and  council,  as  also  the  officers 
of  the  city,  took  the  matter  very  much  to  heart.  They 
earnestly  endeavored  to  delay  the  affair  by  repeated  em- 
bassies to  the  general,  Richard  Nicholls,  by  requesting  that 
the  business  should  be  submitted  to  his  Majesty  of  Eng- 
land, and  the  lords,  the  states  of  Holland,  but  all  was  in 
vain.  They  disembarked  their  soldiers  about  two  miles 
off,  at  Gravesandt  [Gravesend],  and  marched  them  on 
foot  on  Long  Island  to  the  ferry  opposite  this  place.  The 
frigates  came  down  upon  us  on  September  4th,  under  full 
sail.  They  had  put  all  their  cannon  on  one  side,  having 
orders,  and  intending,  if  any  resistance  were  offered,  to 
fire  a  full  broadside  into  this  open  place,  and  so  to  take 
the  city  by  force  and  give  up  everything  to  plunder  and 
blood  [///.,  blood-bath]. 

"  Our  honorable  rulers,  both  of  the  [West  India]  com- 
pany and  the  city,  were  full  inclined  to  defend  the  place. 
But  they  realized  that  it  would  be  impossible,  as  the  town 
was  not  in  a  defensible  condition  ;  and  even  if  it  were  for- 
tified it  could  not  be  done,  for  all  the  men  within  the  bounds 
of  the  city  would  have  to  stand  at  least  four  rods  apart ; 
there  was  also  but  a  slender  supply  of  powder,  either  in  the 
fortress  or  in  the  town ;  there  was  no  hope  of  deliverance 


56  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

or  aid ;  and  every  day  the  concourse  of  the  English,  both 
on  foot  and  horseback,  increased.  They  came  from  New 
England  with  desire  to  pillage  the  city.  They  offered  their 
services  against  us  as  privateers,  being  about  six  hundred 
in  number,  according  to  report,  with  fifty  French  privateers. 
The  English  permitted  this ;  therefore  our  authorities,  at 
the  urgent  request  of  the  citizens  and  burghers,  were 
obliged,  although  unwillingly,  to  resolve  to  come  to  terms, 
in  order  to  prevent  pillage  and  bloodshed. 

"  After  the  surrender  of  the  place  several  English  people, 
whom  we  have  long  known,  and  who  were  well  affected 
toward  us,  came  to  us  and  said  that  God  had  singularly 
overruled  the  matter,  in  that  the  province  had  passed 
over  by  treaty ;  otherwise  nothing  else  could  have  hap- 
pened but  pillage,  murder,  and  general  ruin.  This  is  also 
confirmed  by  several  soldiers,  who  say  that  they  came 
hither  from  England  in  hope  of  booty ;  and  since  it  has 
turned  out  so  differently,  they  desired  permission  to  return 
to  England. 

"  It  is  stipulated  in  the  articles  [of  surrender]  that  the 
religion  and  doctrine  shall  continue  as  heretofore,  and  the 
ministers  shall  remain.  We  could  not  abandon  our  con- 
gregations and  hearers.  We  judged  that  we  must  continue 
with  them,  for  a  time  at  least,  and  perform  our  offices,  lest 
they  should  become  entirely  scattered,  and  grow  wild. 

"  The  West  India  Company  owes  me  quite  a  sum,  which 
I  hope  and  desire  will  be  paid.      Thus  I  close,  commending 
your  persons  and  services  to  the  love  of  God.      I  remain 
"  Your  Reverences' 

"  Obedient  Brother, 

"  Samuel  Drisius." 


EARLY  MINISTERS  AND    CHURCHES.  57 

THE  MINISTERS  AND  CHURCHES  OF  NEW  NETHERLAND. 

Before  the  conquest  the  West  India  Company  had  pro- 
vided thirteen  ministers  for  New  Netherland.  Six  of  these 
were  in  service  at  the  surrender.  There  were  then  also 
eleven  churches  in  existence,  besides  a  couple  of  out- 
stations.  As  these  ministers  and  churches^  were  the  orig- 
inal root  from  which  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  has 
developed,  under  peculiarly  adverse  circumstances,  the 
names  are  given.  Those  in  service  at  the  surrender  are 
put  in  small  capitals. 

Ministers. 

Jonas  Michaelius,  i628-(32?). 
Everardus  Bogardus,  1633-47. 
John  Megapolensis,  1642-70. 
John  Backerus,  1647-49. 
\_Williavi  Grassniere,  suspended;  1651-52.] 
Samuel  Drisius,  1652-73. 
Gideon  Schaats,  1652-94. 
John  T.  Polhemus,  1654-76. 
Caspar  Carpentier,  1657-84.      Little  known  of  him. 
Everardus  Welius,  1657-59. 

MiCHlEL  Zyperius  (Siperius),  1659-64.     A  proponent. 
Herman  Blom,  1660-67. 
Henry  Selyns,  1660-64. 

Aegidius    Luyck,    1662-72.     Teacher    of   grammar- 
school. 
Samuel  Megapolensis,  1664-68. 

Churches. 

New  Amsterdam  (New  York),  1628. 
Beverwyck  or  Rensselaerwyck  (Albany),  1642. 

1  For  fuller  details  of  all  these  ministers  and  churches,  see  Corwin's 
"  Manual,"  1879. 


I  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

New  Amstel  (New  Castle),  Del,  1654. 

Midwout  (Flatbush),  L.  I.,  1654. 

Amersfoort  (Flatlands),  L.  I.,  1654. 

Breuckelen  (Brooklyn),  L.  I.,  1654. 

Gravesend,  L.  I.,  1655. 

Esopus  (Kingston),  1659. 

Bergen,  N.  J.,  1660. 

Stuyvesant's  Bouwerie  (station),  1660. 

Harlem,  1660. 

Bushwyck,  1661. 

Staten  Island  (station),  1661. 


TERMS    OF    SURRENDER. 

Provision  was  made  by  the  officials  of  the  city,  who 
were  temporarily  continued  in  power,  for  the  due  support 
of  the  Dutch  ministers  until  Governor  Nicholls  could  make 
other  arrangements.  According  to  the  terms  that  all  pub- 
lic buildings  should  remain  in  their  former  uses,  the  Dutch 
had  exclusive  right  to  the  church  in  the  fort.  But  the 
chaplain  of  the  English  forces  had  no  proper  place  in  which 
to  celebrate  the  English  service ;  the  Dutch,  therefore, 
kindly  allowed  him  to  do  this  in  their  chapel  after  their 
own  services  were  ended.  Thus  was  the  Episcopal  ser- 
vice begun  in  New  York,  and  it  remained  on  such  a  foot- 
ing for  nearly  thirty  years. 

The  civil  administration  of  the  Dutch  left  its  permanent 
impress  on  the  customs,  laws,  and  civilization  of  New  York 
and  New  Jersey.  The  knowledge  of  the  Dutch  jurispru- 
dence of  this  period  is  essential  to  the  full  understanding 
of  the  constitutional  history  of  these  States.  Dutch  juris- 
prudence, founded  on   Roman  law,  was  superior  to  the 


DUTCH  JURISPRUDENCE.  59 

contemporary  feudal  law  introduced  by  the  English.  The 
Dutch  legislation  concerning  police,  property,  inheritances, 
and  status  shows  a  highly  civilized  state  of  society.  The 
laws  relative  to  the  public  record  of  legal  instruments  were 
in  advance  of  contemporary  English  laws.  No  principle 
of  primogeniture  prevailed.  The  penal  laws  of  New  York 
were  always  more  enlightened  and  less  severe  than  those 
of  England — a  direct  result  of  the  earlier  Dutch  institu- 
tions, which  were  more  humane. 

At  the  surrender  the  English  received  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  colonies  in  America,  possessing  a  hardy,  vigor- 
ous, and  thrifty  people,  well  adapted  to  all  the  principles 
of  civil  and  religious  freedom.  And  history  shows  that 
these  Dutch  colonists  cheerfully  accepted  all  that  was  good 
in  English  customs  and  laws,  but  stoutly  and  successfully 
resisted  what  they  considered  undesirable.  This  could  not 
have  been  the  case  if  their  prior  political,  religious,  and 
social  conditions  had  not  been  of  a  superior  kind.^ 

Will  this  feeble  Dutch  Church,  consisting  of  hardly  a 
dozen  congregations  and  half  a  dozen  ministers,  now  sub- 
ject to  a  foreign  power  determined  to  establish  its  own 
state  church,  be  able  to  survive  amid  these  new  and  ham- 
pering surroundings?  The  parent  church  had  successfully 
resisted  a  great  empire  and  accomplished  grand  results. 
Will  the  handful  of  their  descendants  in  America  be  cor- 
respondingly energetic?  At  the  surrender  only  thirty-six 
years  had  elapsed  since  the  arrival  of  the  first  minister; 
and  the  American  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church  has  devel- 
oped, under  peculiarly  adverse  circumstances,  from  these 
small  beginnings,  having  now  more  than  six  hundred  min- 
isters and  churches  and  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
communicants ;  raising  annually  more  than  a  million  dollars 

1  See  Fowler  on  Constitutional  and  Legal  History  of  New  York,  in 
"  Memorial  Hist,  of  the  City,"  vol.  i.,  pp.  523-538. 


6o  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.  [Chap.  i. 

for  home  expenses  and  a  half  million  for  benevolence  ;  with 
thoroughly  equipped  institutions  and  other  agencies  for  the 
extension  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  at  home  and  abroad. 
It  is  our  purpose  briefly  to  trace  the  further  struggles  of 
this  church  and  her  development. 


PERIOD   II. 

RELATION  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  PARTICU- 
LAR, AND  OF  THE  PROVINCE  OF  NEW  YORK  IN 
GENERAL,  TO  ENGLISH  ECCLESIASTICAL 
LAWS  (1 664- 1 708). 


61 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE    GOVERNMENT    OF   JAMES    AS   DUKE    (1664-85) 
AND    KING    (1685-89). 

PRELIMINARY. 

The  English  conquest  of  New  Netherland  gave  a  sudden 
check  to  the  development  and  prosperity  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  Dutch  immigration  pi^actically  ceased.  Many 
Hollanders  removed  to  the  Carolinas.  The  ministry  was 
soon  reduced  from  six  to  three,  and  it  continued  at  this 
small  number  for  half  a  score  of  years,  although  there  were 
ten  thousand  souls  to  be  ministered  unto.  But  the  Dutch, 
as  we  have  seen,  had  obtained  excellent  terms  at  the  sur- 
render. When,  therefore,  they  were  required  to  take  the 
oath^  of  allegiance  to  Great  Britain,  they  declined,  until 
assured  in  writing  "  that  the  Articles  of  Surrender  are  not 
in  the  least  broken,  or  intended  to  be  broken,  by  any  words 
or  expression  in  the  said  oath."  This  was  important  not 
only  as  regards  property  and  certain  customs,  but  especially 
as  regards  religion.  It  gave  them  a  certain  legal  standing 
in  reference  to  their  own  forms  of  public  worship  and  church 
discipline.  Under  these  conditions  the  Dutch  ministers 
and  inhabitants  became  citizens  of  the  British  empire. 

Their  relations  to  the  state  church  of  Holland  were  now ' 
necessarily  modified  by  the  political  change,  but  their  exact 
character  was  not  defined.      A  century  later,  in  the  efforts 
to  secure  ecclesiastical  independence,  their  relations  to  the 
Church  of  Holland  on  the  one  hand  and  to  the  English 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  74-76. 
63 


64  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH         [Chai'.  ii. 

government  on  the  other  became  important  topics  of  dis- 
cussion. Was  tlie  American  church  still  an  integral  part 
of  the  church  in  Holland  when  its  ministers  and  people 
were  subjects  of  the  British  king?  But  then,  also,  what 
was  their  relation  to  English  ecclesiastical  law  ?  Although 
they  were  now  naturalized  Englishmen  they  were  not 
members  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  neither  were  they 
dissenters.  They  belonged  to  a  collateral  church  of  the 
Reformation.  By  the  terms  of  the  surrender  they  were 
to  enjoy  not  only  liberty  of  conscience  in  private,  but  in 
public  worship  and  church  discipline.  But  did  this  apply 
to  later  generations?  The  Dutch  here  shall  enjoy  such 
liberty  of  conscience.  And  what  was  to  be  the  status  of 
other  residents  and  new  immigrants?  In  other  words, 
what  was  to  be  the  ultimate  general  position  of  the  colony 
of  New  York  in  reference  to  English  ecclesiastical  law? 

Colonies  which  had  charter  governments  generally  es- 
tablished the  most  numerous  body  of  Christians  as  the 
church  of  the  colony.  But  New  York  was  not  a  charter 
government.  It  was  first  (1664-85)  a  proprietary  govern- 
ment. The  Duke  of  York  held  the  colony  as  a  fief  of  the 
crown.  It  was  of  the  nature  of  a  feudatory  principality. 
The  duke  could  make  local  laws  in  general  harmony  with 
the  English  legal  system,  and  establish  courts,  with  only  a 
final  appeal  to  the  crown.  The  duke's  patent  divested  the 
crown  of  all  but  paramount  authority.  But  when  the  duke 
became  King  James  II.  (1685)  his  ducal  proprietorship  was 
merged  in  the  crown.  New  York  then  became  a  provin- 
cial government.  But  the  relation  of  the  now  provincial 
colony  to  English  law  still  depended  on  the  question 
whether  the  English  now  resumed  a  claim  to  the  territory 
by  right  of  prior  discovery — which  they  often  asserted — 
or  whether  they  obtained  it  by  conquest.  If  they  now  held 
it  by  right  of  prior  discovery,  the  Dutch  had  only  been 


FIRST  DECADE    UNDER    THE  ENGLISH.  65 

trespassers  on  English  soil,  and  the  legal  system  of  England 
would  at  once  prevail  as  far  as  it  was  applicable;  but  if  by- 
conquest,  the  Dutch  system  of  jurisprudence,  founded  on 
Roman  law,  with  the  special  ordinances  of  New  Nether- 
land,  would  remain  in  force  until  repealed.  These  were 
questions  of  dispute  during  the  whole  of  the  colonial  period, 
and  judicial  decisions  turned  thereon.  There  was  never, 
however,  any  serious  attempt  to  enforce  the  English  Acts 
of  Uniformity  between  1664  and  1689,  when  the  Act  of 
Toleration  was  passed  in  the  first  year  of  William. 

Owing  to  these  complicated  conditions  the  relations  of 
church  and  state  in  New  York  became  involved  in  peculiar 
difficulties,  and  gave  rise  to  more  serious  trouble  than  in 
any  other  colony.  The  Dutch  and  French,  with  English 
dissenters  and  some  others,  constituted  nine  tenths  of  the 
population  during  the  greater  part  of  the  colonial  period. 
As'  Americans  they  had  also  certain  decided  opinions  as 
to  their  inherent  constitutional  rights.  Will  this  great 
majority  permit  a  few  English  officials  with  a  handful  of 
followers  to  impose  a  church  polity  and  form  of  worship 
upon  them  in  which  they  do  not  believe  ?  Against  all  such 
efforts  the  Dutch  determinedly  set  themselves,  and  they 
were  successful.  They  prevented  the  passage  of  any  pro- 
vincial law  establishing  the  Church  of  England.  But  it 
was  subsequently  assumed,  contrary  to  fact,  that  the  said 
church  was  established. 

THE    FIRST    DECADE    UNDER    ENGLISH    RULE.^ 

During  the  first  decade  after  the  surrender  there  was  not 
much  opportunity  for  conflict,  as  the  population  was  over- 
whelmingly Dutch.  It  would  have  been  absurd  to  have 
attempted  a  foreign  ecclesiastical  establishment  at  once. 

1  "  Amsterdam  Correspondence, "  Letters  145-165. 


66  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

A  code  of  laws  had  been  prepared,  known  as  the  "  Duke's 
Laws,"  which  had  a  liberal  tone.  But  we  are  obliged  to 
remember  that  James  was  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  the  king, 
his  brother,  was  in  sympathy  with  him  in  this  respect. 
Nevertheless  the  general  pressure  of  English  policy  in 
religion,  and  the  Acts  of  Conformity  and  the  Test  Acts, 
prevented  them  from  flaunting  their  personal  views  too 
publicly  ;  yea,  even  compelled  them,  in  state  papers,  to  style 
themselves  defenders  of  a  faith  in  which  they  did  not  be- 
lieve. We  are  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  say  the  liberal  tone 
of  the  "  Duke's  Laws  "  must  be  read  in  the  light  of  these 
facts.      The  following,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  religion,  are 

THE    duke's    laws. 

"  Whereas  the  public  worship  of  God  is  much  discredited 
for  want  of  painful  and  able  ministers  to  instruct  the  people 
in  the  true  religion,  and  for  want  of  convenient  places  cap- 
able to  receive  any  number  or  assembly  of  people,  in  a  de- 
cent manner,  for  celebrating  God's  holy  ordinances,  these 
ensuing  laws  are  to  be  observed  in  e^vQvy  parish,  viz.  : 

"  I.  That  in  each  parish  within  this  government  a  church 
be  built  in  the  most  convenient  part  thereof,  capable  to  re- 
ceive and  accommodate  two  hundred  persons. 

"  2.  That  for  the  making  and  proportioning  the  levies 
and  assessments  for  building  and  repairing  the  churches, 
provision  for  the  poor,  maintenance  for  the  minister,  as 
well  as  for  the  more  orderly  managing  of  all  parochial 
affairs  in  other  cases  expressed,  eight  of  the  most  able  men 
of  each  parish  be,  by  the  major  part  of  the  householders 
of  the  said  parish,  chosen  to  be  overseers,  out  of  which 
number  the  constable  and  the  aforesaid  eight  overseers 
shall  yearly  make  choice  of  two  of  the  said  number  to  be 
churchwardens;  and  in  case  of  the  death  of  any  of  the  said 


THE  DUKE'S  LAWS.  67 

overseers  and  churchwardens,  or  his  or  their  departure 
out  of  the  parish,  the  said  constable  and  overseers  shall 
make  choice  of  another  to  supply  his  room. 

"  3.  Every  overseer  is  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  at 
the  time  of  his  admittance  into  his  office,  in  the  presence 
of  the  minister,  overseer,  and  constable  of  the  parish,  be- 
sides the  oath  of  his  office. 

"  4.  To  prevent  scandalous  and  ignorant  pretenders  to 
the  ministry  from  intruding  themselves  as  teachers,  no 
minister  shall  be  permitted  to  officiate  within  the  govern- 
ment but  such  as  shall  produce  testimonials  to  the  gov- 
ernor that  he  hath  received  ordination  either  from  some 
Protestant  bishop  or  minister,  within  some  part  of  his 
Majesty's  dominions,  or  the  dominions  of  any  foreign 
prince  of  the  Reformed  religion ;  upon  which  testimony 
the  governor  shall  induce  the  said  minister  into  the  parish 
that  shall  make  presentation  of  him  as  duly  elected  by  the 
major  part  of  the  inhabitants  [being]  householders. 

"  5.  That  the  minister  of  every  parish  shall  preach  con- 
stantly every  Sunday,  and  shall  also  pray  for  the  king, 
queen,  Duke  of  York,  and  the  royal  family.  And  every 
person  affronting  or  disturbing  any  congregation  on  the 
Lord's  day,  and  on  such  public  days  of  fast  and  thanks- 
giving as  are  appointed  to  be  observed,  after  the  pre- 
sentments thereof  by  the  churchwardens  to  the  sessions, 
and  due  conviction  thereof,  shall  be  punished  by  fine  or 
imprisonment,  according  to  the  merit  and  nature  of  the 
offense.  And  every  minister  shall  also  publicly  adminis- 
ter the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  once  every  year 
at  the  least  in  his  parish  church,  not  denying  the  private 
benefit  thereof  to  persons  that  for  want  of  health  shall  re- 
quire the  same  in  their  houses,  under  the  penalty  of  loss 
of  preferment,  unless  the  minister  be  restrained  in  point 
of  conscience. 


68  THE  REFORMED    CHLRCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

"  6.  No  minister  shall  refuse  the  sacrament  of  baptism 
to  the  children  of  Christian  parents,  when  they  shall  be 
tendered,  under  penalty  of  loss  of  preferment. 

"  7.  Ministers  are  to  marry  persons  after  legal  publica- 
tion or  sufficient  license. 

"  8.  Legal  publication  shall  be  so  esteemed  when  the 
persons  so  to  be  married  are  three  several  days  asked  in 
the  church,  or  have  a  special  license. 

"  9.  Sundays  are  not  to  be  profaned  by  travelers,  labor- 
ers, or  vicious  persons. 

"  10.  That  no  congregations  shall  be  disturbed  in  their 
private  meetings,  in  the  time  of  prayer,  preaching,  or  other 
divine  service ;  nor  shall  any  person  be  molested,  fined,  or 
imprisoned,  for  differing  in  judgment  in  matters  of  relig- 
ion, who  professes  Christianity. 

"II.  No  person  of  scandalous  or  vicious  life  shall  be 
admitted  to  the  holy  sacrament,  who  hath  not  given  sat- 
isfaction therein  to  the  minister." 

Charges  Public. 

"  Every  inhabitant  shall  contribute  to  all  charges,  both 
in  church  and  state,  whereof  he  doth  or  may  receive  bene- 
fit, according  to  the  equal  proportion  of  his  estate." 

These  laws  were  not  at  first  enforced  very  strictly  among 
the  Dutch.  But  besides  these  laws  the  commissioners, 
headed  by  Colonel  Nicholls,  had  also  secret  instructions 
which  contained  not  a  little  on  the  subject  of  religion. 
These  are  directed  by  the  king  to  the  five  "  Commissioners 
employed  by  us  to  our  Plantations  in  America,  /;/  and 
about  New  England,  to  be  considered  and  communicated 
only  betweene  themselves."  •  They  are  therein  directed 
to  resume  possession  of  the  territory  wrongfully  held  by 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  57-61. 


CONCILIATORY  POLICY.  69 

the  Dutch.  They  were  to  secure  a  modification  of  the 
charters  of  the  New  England  colonies,  if  possible,  so  as  to 
increase  the  king's  prerogative.  They  were  to  seek  op- 
portunity to  introduce  Episcopacy  in  New  England — thus 
the  Dutch  minister  in  London  was  led  to  understand,  while 
deceived  as  to  the  design  on  New  Netherland.  Upon  the 
strength  of  this  information  the  West  India  Company 
wrote  to  Stuyvesant,  April  21,  1664,  as  follows:  "His 
Royal  Majesty  of  Great  Britain,  being  inclined  to  reduce 
all  his  kingdoms  under  one  form  of  government  in  Church 
and  State,  hath  taken  care  that  commissioners  are  ready 
in  England  to  repair  to  New  England  to  install  bishops 
there,  the  same  as  in  old  England."  But  these  Instruc- 
tions had  at  least  a  partial  reference  also  to  New  Nether- 
land, over  which  Colonel  Nicholls  was  appointed  governor, 
if  he  conquered  it.  It  was  also  hoped  that  he  might  in- 
duce the  New  England  colonies  to  elect  him  as  their  gov- 
ernor. But,  as  said,  it  was  impracticable  to  enforce  the 
policy  of  the  king  in  New  Netherland  at  once.  Concilia- 
tory measures  at  first,  to  heal  the  wounded  feelings  of  the 
conquered,  would  be  the  dictate  of  wisdom.  We  accord- 
ingly find  Governor  Nicholls,  the  year  after  the  surrender, 
directing  the  city  authorities  to  lay  a  tax  to  pay  the  ar- 
rears of  salary  of  the  Dutch  clergymen.^  And  in  1670 
Governor  Lovelace  writes  to  certain  commissioners  at  Al- 
bany that  he  considers  the  minister  and  church  which  he 
and  his  predecessor  found  established  there  as  the  parochial 
church  of  Albany,  which  was  to  be  maintained  by  taxation 
or  otherwise."  In  the  same  year  Lovelace  guaranteed  a 
salary  to  any  Dutch  minister  who  would  come  over  to 
assist  Drisius  at  New  York,   who  was   becoming  feeble. 

1  "  Do?.  Hist.  N.  Y.,"  vol.  i.,  p.  249;   Brodhead's  "  New  York,"  vol,  ii., 
p.  44. 

2  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  189. 


•JO  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

This  offer  brought  over  Domine  WilHam  van  Nieuwen- 
huysen,  the  first  recruit  to  the  Dutch  ministry  after  the 
surrender,  although  seven  years  had  passed  away.  The 
governor's  promise,  however,  was  not  weh  redeemed. 

During  this  first  decade  there  was  also  much  dissatisfac- 
tion expressed  because  no  representative  Assembly  was 
granted  to  the  province  such  as  existed  in  other  colonies. 

RECONQUEST  OF  NEW  YORK  BY  THE  DUTCH,  AND  ITS 
RESURRENDER  BY  THE  STATES-GENERAL. 

But  in  1673  the  Dutch  unexpectedly  regained  their  in- 
dependence.^ In  the  war  then  raging  between  England 
and  Holland,  Evertsen  was  sent  with  fifteen  ships  to  harass 
the  English  in  the  West  Indies.  There  he  met  Binckes, 
with  four  vessels  from  Amsterdam.  They  proceeded  to 
Virginia,  where  they  did  considerable  damage  to  English 
plantations.  Learning  there  that  New  York  was  not  well 
defended,  the  fleet,  augmented  with  several  prizes,  consist- 
ing in  all  of  twenty-three  vessels  and  sixteen  hundred  men, 
proceeded  thither.  Arriving  at  the  Narrows,  the  sheep 
and  cattle  of  Governor  Lovelace,  on  Staten  Island,  afforded 
them  an  acceptable  breakfast.  They  were  heartily  wel- 
comed by  their  fellow-countrymen.  Lovelace  was  absent. 
Upon  the  demand  why  they  had  come  to  disturb  his  Maj- 
esty's subjects,  they  briefly  answered  that  they  had  come  to 
take  the  place.  This  was  easily  accomplished,  and  the  flag 
of  Holland  again  fluttered  over  New  Netherland.  Dur- 
ing the  brief  period  of  reoccupation  everything  was  again 
put  upon  a  Dutch  footing.  Names  of  places  were  again 
changed,  and  the  Dutch  Church  was  reestablished.  Joy- 
fully did  Van  Nieuwenhuysen  conduct  the  services  in  the 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  199-227;  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii:,  pp.  45-65; 
"  Amst.  Cor.,"  Letters  165-307. 


RECONOUEST  BY   THE  DUTCH. 


71 


old  stone  church  in  the  fort,  under  the  flag  of  his  father- 
land, without  being-  followed  by  an  English  chaplain.      Pol- 
hemus  was  yet  ministering  on  Long  Island,  and  Schaats 
at  Albany.      Blom  had  left  Esopus  in  1667,  and  returned 
home.      Drisius    had   died   a  few   months   before.      There 
were  only  three  Dutch  ministers  in  the  province.     Anthony 
Colve  was  appointed  governor.      The  duke's  proprietary 
government  was  extinguished,  as  well  as  that  of  Carteret 
and  Berkeley  in   New  Jersey.      Freedom  of  religion  was 
granted  to  all  who  asked  for  it.^      Holland  hoped  for  a 
brief  season  that  although  the  colony  had  languished  under 
the  rule  of  the  West  India  Company  it  might  thrive  with 
new  vigor  when  belonging  to  the   Dutch   Republic,   and 
that  a  worthy  Dutch  state  might  yet  grow  up  between  the 
Puritans  and  Cavaliers  to  teach  genuine  lessons  of  religious 
liberty.      But  by  the  Treaty  of  Westminster,  in  1674,2  New 
Netherland  was  restored  to  England  by  the  States- General. 
When  this  became  known  there  was  great  indignation  in 
New  Netherland.      To  guard  their  interests  as  much  as 
possible,  the  church  asked  Governor  Colve  to  reconfirm  to 
them  the  old  stone  church  in  the  fort,  according  to  the  orig- 
inal articles  of  surrender.     This  was  done  by  a  formal  deed. 
On  October  27,   1674,  before  the  surrender,  Colve  re- 
quested:'^ "4.  That   the  inhabitants  of  the   Dutch  nation 
may  be  allowed  to  retain  their  customary  Church  privi- 
leges in  Divine  Service  and  Church  discipline,  besides  their 
Fathers'  laws  and  customs  in  the  division  of  their  Inherit- 
ances.     5.  That  they  may  be  excused  from  Impressment, 
at  least  against  their  own  nation." 

1  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  ii.,  pp.  575-6,  581. 

2  In  this  same  year  the  old  West  India  Company  was  finally  dissolved. 
In  1675  a  new  company  was  formed  on  a  much  reduced  basis,  and  which 
continued  in  existence  until  1800,  when,  with  the  destruction  of  the  republic 
by  the  French  Revolution,  both  the  East  and  West  India  Companies  were 
swept  out  of  existence. 

3  "  Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.,"  4to  ed.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  49. 


72  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

To  these  Governor  Andros  replied  :  "  To  the  4th.  The 
usual  discipline  of  their  Church  to  bee  continued  to  them 
as  formerly,  and  the  other  of  Inheritances  as  farre  as  I 
may,  and  for  those  that  shall  desire  it.  To  the  5th,  I  have 
neither  orders  nor  directions,"  etc. 

New  Netherland  now  became  again  the  property  of  the 
king  of  Great  Britain.  He  gave  a  new  patent  to  the  Duke 
of  York  for  the  territory  before  given  him.  But  all  these 
circumstances  modified  the  English  claim  to  the  territory 
'by  right  of  discovery,  as  well  as  the  application  of  the  Eng- 
lish legal  and  ecclesiastical  system  by  virtue  of  the  same. 
The  present  validity  of  the  Articles  of  Surrender  of  1664 
was  also  not  unquestioned. 

THE    STRUGGLE    OF   THE    DUTCH    AGAINST   THE    ESTAB- 
LISHMENT   OF    A    CHURCH    REPRESENTING   A 
MINORITY  (1674-1709). 

The  temporary  loss  of  the  province  exerted  an  evil  in- 
fluence on  the  English  governors.  They  became  more 
arbitrary.  The  following  is  the  only  passage  in  the  In- 
structions^ of  Governor  Andros  (1674-82)  on  the  subject 
of  religion : 

"  You  shall  permit  all  persons  of  what  Religion  soever 
quietly  to  inhabit  within  the  precincts  of  your  jurisdiction 
without  giving  them  any  disturbance  or  disquiet  whatso- 
ever for  or  by  reason  of  their  differing  Opinions  in  matters 
of  Religion,  Provided  they  give  noe  disturbance  to  ye  pub- 
lick  peace,  nor  doe  molest  or  disquiet  others  in  ye  free 
Exercise  of  their  Religion."  ^ 

1  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  218. 

!J  The  Test  Act,  which  Parliament  forced  upon  the  king  in  1673  for  the 
protection  of  Protestantism,  was  not  made  to  apply  at  present  to  the  Amer- 
ican plantations.  In  1689  William  III.  extended  it,  by  his  own  will,  by 
clauses  in  the  Commissions  and  Instructions  to  the  colonial  governors. 


CASE   OF   VAN  RENSSELAER.  73 

This  is  most  general,  but  in  harmony  with  the  designs 
of  Charles  and  James.  Yet  the  first  thing  Andros  did  was 
to  insist  upon  the  Dutch  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
without  any  exception  in  reference  to  freedom  of  religion, 
or  fighting  against  their  own  countrymen  in  time  of  war.^ 
A  considerable  English  population  had  also  come  in,  and 
the  design  of  establishing  the  English  Church  was  becom- 
ing increasingly  apparent.  As  early  as  1675  Rev.  Nicho- 
las van  Rensselaer  appeared  with  a  recommendation  to 
Governor  Andros  from  the  duke  for  a  living  in  one  of  the 
Dutch  churches.  He  had  been  licensed  in  Holland,  in- 
deed, but  had  joined  the  train  of  Charles  H.  at  Brussels, 
and  predicted  his  restoration  to  the  throne  of  England, 
After  the  restoration,  the  king  in  gratitude  permitted  him 
to  preach  to  the  Dutch  congregation  at  Westminster.  He 
was  finally  ordained  a  deacon  by  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 
On  account  of  the  complications  of  title  by  the  political 
changes  this  Van  Rensselaer  now  sought  and  obtained  a 
grant  of  the  colony  of  Rensselaerwyck,  being  a  son  of  the 
first  patroon ;  but  he  failed  to  maintain  his  right  to  it. 
Meantime  Governor  Andros  attempted  to  foist  him  on  the 
church  of  Albany  as  a  colleague  of  Domine  Schaats.  He 
was  secretly  installed,  but  an  attempt  to  administer  bap- 
tism was  stoutly  resisted.  Domine  Van  Nieuwenhuysen, 
of  New  York,  went  to  Albany  to  defend  the  rights  of  the 
church.  Van  Rensselaer  was  finally  only  perijiitted  to 
officiate  when  he  promised  to  submit  to  the  Classis  of 
Amsterdam.  The  next  year,  however,  the  governor  was 
compelled  to  remove  him  on  account  of  his  scandalous 
life.2 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  ii.,  pp.  740-746 — an  interesting  petition  and  corre- 
spondence on  this  subject.  See  also  "  Doc.  Hist,  of  N.  Y.,"  410  ed.,  vol. 
iii.,  p.  49. 

2  "  Col.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  225;  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  434,  526-8, 
530;   Smith's  "  New  York,"  pp.  63,  64;  Brodhead's  "  New  York,"  vol.  ii.. 


74  THE   REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  il. 

Twelve  years  had  passed  away  since  the  original  sur- 
render, and  only  one  regular  minister  had  come  from  Hol- 
land. Two  had  died,  and  two  had  returned  home.  The 
Episcopalians  had  only  a  single  clergyman,  the  chaplain  of 
the  troops.  The  dearth  of  gospel  privileges  was  severely 
felt.  The  Dutch  and  English  of  Kingston,  therefore,  now 
(1676)  petitioned^  the  governor  to  find  means  for  the  ordi- 
nation of  Peter  Tesschenmaeker,  a  young  licensed  bachelor 
of  divinity  of  the  University  of  Utrecht.  He  could  use 
both  languages,  and  had  been  serving  that  people.  But 
the  governor  was  wary  of  meddling  so  soon  again  in  Dutch 
church  affairs,  remembering  the  matter  of  Van  Rensselaer. 
No  response  appears. 

Tesschenmaeker  now  went  to  Dutch  Guiana,  or  Surinam, 
for  a  couple  of  years,  and  then  he  reappears  in  Delaware. 
The  people  of  New  Castle  now  request  the  Dutch  clergy 
to  meet  as  a  Classis  and  ordain  him.  The  ministers  were, 
of  course,  disposed  to  help  this  people  to  the  gospel,  and 
the  governor  was  disposed  to  strengthen  this  distant  col- 
ony. Understanding  the  general  feeling,  he  now  ventured 
to  authorize  and  direct  the  Dutch  clergy  to  do  this.  Ac- 
cordingly Van  Nieuwenhuysen,  Schaats,  Van  Gaasbeek, 
and  Van  Zuuren  actually  formed  a  Classis  (1679)  and  ex- 
amined and  ordained  this  proponent  as  a  minister  for  New 
Castle  ;  and  the  proceedings  of  this  first  ecclesiastical  body 
higher  tjian  a  Consistory  in  New  York,  and  convened  at 
the  call  of  an  English  governor,  were  approved  by  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam.  -  Thirty  years  later  Domines 
Du  Bois  and  Antonides  refused  to  obey  an  order  of  Gov- 
ernor Nicholson  to  ordain  Van  Vleck. 

In  1677,  in  a  memorial,  the  Bishop  of  London  complains 

index;   "  Anist.   Cor.,"   Letters  \bc)\,  172;   Corwin's  "  Manual,"  1879,  pp. 
516,  519- 

1  "Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  583.  ^  Letters  178-179,  183,  189. 


DEMAND  FOR  AN  ASSEMBLY.  75 

that  the  king's  right  of  patronage  to  present  to  all  benefices 
and  cures  of  souls  is  not  duly  asserted  and  practiced  by ' 
the  governors  in  the  several  plantations.  ^  The  governor's 
report  of  the  province  in  1678^  says  that  ministers  are  very 
few,  but  religions  very  many  ;  that  no  account  can  be  given 
of  births  or  baptisms ;  that  justices  are  often  obliged  to 
perform  the  marriage  ceremony ;  that  there  is  only  one 
congregation  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  that  there  are 
several  Presbyterian  and  Independent  churches,  as  well  as 
Quakers,  Anabaptists,  and  Jews.  The  duke  maintained  a 
chaplain.  In  all  there  were  about  twenty  churches,  of 
which  about  one  half  were  without  ministers.  The  people 
supported  their  ministers  b}^  free  gifts  amounting  to  from 
£\0  to  ^70  per  year,  besides  a  house  and  garden.  More 
than  half  the  churches  above  alluded  to  under  the  name 
of  Presbyterian  were  Dutch  Reformed  churches. 

Immediately  after  the  arrival  of  Go^'ernor  Andros,  in 
1674,  the  people  had  again  expressed  their  earnest  desire 
for  a  General  Assembly  of  representatives  of  the  people ; 
but  the  duke  opposed  it.  His  laws  of  1664  were,  however, 
reenacted.  But  the  liberal  government  of  William  Penn, 
in  which  the  people  were  allowed  representation,  made 
the  people  of  New  York  (about  1680)  clamorous  for  their 
rights.  In  1682  the  duke  reluctantly  consented.  He  was 
stimulated  in  his  apprehension  of  his  duty  by  the  question 
of  his  ability  to  levy  a  tariff.  Dongan  was  now  commis- 
sioned^ as  governor  (1682-88),  and  in  his  Instructions^  he 
was  authorized  to  announce  the  duke's  pleasure,  and  to 
convene  a  General  Assembly  of  the  people. 

Pending  this  event,  the  return  of  Rev.  Henry  Selyns  to 
America  and  the  arrival  of  many  Huguenots  exerted  a 
marked  influence  on  the  development  and  prosperity  of  the 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  253. 

2  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  i.,  pp.  60-62. 

3  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  328.  *  Ibid.,  p.  331. 


76  THE   REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH         [Chap.  ii. 

church.  Selyns  took  the  place  of  the  departed  Van  Nieu- 
wenhuysen.^  He  possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  that 
rare  combination  of  faculties  which  unites  the  zeal  of  the 
preacher  seeking  the  salvation  of  souls  with  the  prudence 
of  the  presbyter  looking  after  the  temporalities  of  the  flock. 
He  was  systematic,  energetic,  and  industrious  in  his  min- 
isterial and  pastoral  duties.  He  greatl)^  enlarged  the  ac- 
tivities of  the  church,  and  secured  for  it  a  permanent  and 
independent  foundation.  He  was  also  of  a  catholic  spirit 
when  liberality  was  not  so  common,  speaking  kindly  of 
other  denominations  and  rejoicing  in  their  success.  His 
amiable  character  endeared  him  to  all  around  him.  He 
was  on  terms  of  friendship  with  the  heads  of  government, 
and  in  correspondence  with  distinguished  men  in  the  neigh- 
boring colonies.  He  was  also  a  poet,  versifying  in  both 
Latin  and  Dutch.  Cotton  Mather  remarks  of  him  :  "  He 
had  so  nimble  a  faculty  of  putting  his  devout  thoughts  into 
verse  that  he  signalized  himself  by  the  greatest  frequency, 
perhaps,  which  ever  man  used,  of  sending  poems  to  all 
persons,  in  all  places,  on  all  occasions ;  and  in  this,  as  well 
as  upon  greater  accounts,  was  a  David  unto  the  flocks  of 
our  Lord  in  the  wilderness." - 

In  writing  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  (October,  1683) 
Selyns  gave  an  interesting  account  of  provincial  church 
afTairs,  alluding  to  the  difTerent  churches  and  ministers  then 
in  the  country.  Tesschenmaeker  was  at  Schenectady ; 
Dellius,  afterward  famous  in  the  great  land  grants,  had 
just  come  over  the  sea  to  become  the  colleague  of  Schaats 
at  Albany;  Weekstein  was  at  Kingston;  and  Van  Zuuren 
on   Long  Island.      A  stone  parsonage^  was  in  course  of 

1  An  .net  w.is  passed,  February  21,  1682,  permitting  the  Church  of  New 
York  to  call  Selyns.      .See  also  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Letter  222|. 

2  See  Hon.  II.  C.  Murphy's  "  Anthology  of  New  Netherland." 

3  An  act  was  passed  November  15,  1682,  permitting  the  building  of  a 
parsonage. 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  'jj 

erection  in  New  York,  "  three  stories  high,  and  raised  on 
the  foundation  of  unmerited  love."  Domine  Pierre  Daille, 
late  professor  at  Saumur,  was  preaching  to  the  Huguenots 
in  New  York.  "  He  is  full  of  fire,  godliness,  and  learning. 
Banished  on  account  of  his  religion,  he  maintains  the  cause 
of  Jesus  Christ  with  untiring  zeal."  Rev.  John  Gordon 
officiated  in  the  fort  for  the  English,  and  Daille  followed 
him  for  the  French ;  but  Selyns  himself  hedged  about  both 
these  services  by  two  sermons  in  Dutch.  Governor  Don- 
gan  had  recently  arrived — a  polite  and  friendly  man,  who 
had  called  on  Selyns  and  informed  him  that  the  duke  in- 
tended to  allow  full  liberty  of  conscience.  "  What  is  to  be 
done  for  the  good  of  our  country  and  church  will  be  made 
manifest  in  the  approaching  ASSEMBLY,  which  is  sum- 
moned to  devise  reasonable  laws  for  us  and  our  posterity." 
The  French  pastor,  Daille,  above  alluded  to,  was  the 
forerunner  of  a  large  French  immigration.  Not  a  few 
Huguenots  and  Walloons  had  already  come  over  in  an- 
ticipation of  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  This 
infamous  act  was,  however,  a  great  boon  to  America.  It 
gave  her  thousands  of  excellent  citizens  representing  the 
intelligence  and  piety  and  skill  of  France. ^  They  settled 
in  New  York,  on  Staten  Island,  at  Hackensack,  Bushwyck, 
Harlem,  Rye,  New  Rochelle,  and  New  Paltz.  Many  of 
them  went  to  Massachusetts,  Virginia,  South  Carolina,  and 
elsewhere.  Huguenot  names  are  famous  in  our  country's 
history,  such  as  Duche,  Laurens,  Jay,  Boudinot,  Bayard, 
Montague,  Du  Bois,  Le  Fevre,  Hasbroucq,  Bevier,  Bleecker, 
De  Lancy,  Vermilye,  Demarest,  Bethune,  and  perhaps  hun- 
dreds of  others.  Rev.  Pierre  Daille  was  called  by  the  New 
York  Consistory,  in   1682,  to  preach  to  the  French.      He 

1  See  Vermilye's  "Huguenot  Element  among  the  Dutcli,"  in  "Cen- 
tennial Discourses  "  (1876)  ;  Baird's  "  Daille  "  ;  Demarest's  "  Huguenots  on 
the  Hackensack";  also  "  Proceedings  of  Huguenot  Society  of  America"; 
Riker's  "  History  of  Harlem"  ;  Charles  W.  Ba-ird's  "  Huguenots  in  America." 


78  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

arrived  in  1683,  and  was  the  first  Huguenot  pastor  in  New 
York.  He  had  been  a  professor  at  the  celebrated  theo- 
logical school  at  Saumur,  which  was  destroyed  by  order  of 
Louis  XIV.  in  1683.  Besides  officiating  in  New  York, 
whither  came  the  scattered  Huguenots  on  Sundays  from 
a  score  of  miles  around,  he  also  went  twice  a  year  to  New 
Paltz,  to  supply  that  people  with  the  bread  of  life.  Pastor 
Peiret  arrived  in  1687,  and  became  a  colleague.  This  gave 
Daille  the  opportunity  to  itinerate  among  his  scattered 
countrymen  more  largely.  In  1688  they  were  numerous 
and  strong  enough  to  build  for  themselves  a  house  of  wor- 
ship in  Marketfield  Street  in  New  York.  Upon  the  arrival 
of  De  Bon  Repos,  who  took  charge  of  the  French  on  Staten 
Island  and  at  New  Paltz,  Daille  accepted  a  call  of  the  Hu- 
guenots in  Bo.ston  in  1696,  where  he  labored  until  his  death, 
in  1 715.  Besides  the  Dutch  ministers  who  preached  oc- 
casionally in  French,  as  Michaelius,  Drisius,  and  Selyns, 
the  earlier  French  pastors  were  Daille,  Bondet,  Vanden 
Bosch,  Peiret,  De  Bon  Repos,  Rou,  Moulinar,  Carle,  and 
Tetard.^  Several  of  these  French  churches  and  pastors 
subsequently  conformed  to  the  Church  of  England. 

THE    GENERAL   ASSEMBLY    AND    THE    CHARTER    OF 
LIBERTIES. 

Governor  Dongan's  commission,-  dated  September  30, 
1682,  made  him  governor  of  New  England,  New  York,  and 
New  Jersey.  The  Instructions^  given  to  him  (January, 
1683)  directed  him  to  convene  a  General  Assembly  by  the 
votes  of  the  people.  This  Assembly  should  consider,  in 
connection  with  the  governor  and  his  council,  what  laws 
were  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  colony;  and  if  they 

1  For  details  see  Corwin's  "  Manual,"  1879. 

2  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  323.  ^  Ibid.,  p.  331. 


CHARTER    OF  LIBERTIES.  79 

"  shall  appear  for  the  manifest  good  of  the  country,  and 
not  prejudicial  to  vie,  I  will  assent  unto  and  confirm  them," 
said  the  duke.  The  arrival  of  Jesuits  in  New  York  during 
Dongaii's  administration  was  not  agreeable  to  the  people. 

On  October  17,  1683,  the  representatives  of  the  people, 
a  large  majority  of  them  being  Dutch,  met  for  the  first 
time  under  British  rule.  They  immediately  passed  the 
Charter  of  Liberties,  which  was  approved  by  the  gov- 
ernor. The  design  was  to  secure  a  permanent  representa- 
tive Assembly,  to  restrict  the  powers  of  the  governor  and 
to  secure  the  rights  of  the  people.  The  title  was  as  fol- 
lows :  "  For  the  better  establishing  the  government  of  this 
Province  of  New  Yorke,  and  that  Justice  and  Right  may 
bee  equally  done  to  all  persons  within  the  same,"  the 
charter  enacted  **  That  the  Supreme  Legislative  authority, 
under  his  Majesty  and  Royal  Highness  James,  Duke  of 
Yorke,  Albany,  etc..  Lord  Proprietor  of  the  said  Province, 
shall  forever  bee  and  reside  in  a  Governour,  Councell,  and 
The  People,  mett  in  a  Generall  Assembly."  In  reference 
to  religion  it  said : 

"  Thatt  no  person  or  persons,  which  proffesse  ffaith  in 
God  by  Jesus  Christ,  shall,  at  any  time,  be  any  wayes 
molested,  punished,  disquieted  or  called  in  question  for 
any  difference  in  opinion  or  matter  of  religious  concern- 
ment, who  do  nott  actually  disturbe  the  civill  peace  of  the 
province,  butt  thatt  all  and  every  such  person  or  p'sons 
may,  from  time,  and  at  all  times  freely  have  and  fully  en- 
joy, his  or  her  judgments  or  consciences  in  matters  of  re- 
ligion throughout  all  the  province,  they  behaving  them- 
selves peaceably  and  quietly,  and  nott  using  this  liberty 
to  Lycenciousnesse,  nor  to  the  civil  injury  or  outward 
disturbance  of  others.  .  .  .  And  zcj/iereas  a\\  the  respective 
Christian  Churches  now  in  practice  in  the  Citty  of  New 
Yorke,  and  the  other  places  of  this  province,  do  appear  to 


8o  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

bee  priviledged  Churches,  and  have  been  so  estabhshed  and 
confirmed  by  the  former  authority  of  this  Government :  Bee 
it  hereby  enacted  by  this  present  Generall  Assembly,  and  by 
the  Authority  thereof.  That  all  the  said  respecti\e  Christian 
Churches  be  hereby  confirmed  therein,  and  thatt  they  and 
every  of  them  shall,  from  henceforth  forever,  be  held  and 
reputed  as  priviledged  churches,  and  enjoy  all  their  former 
freedomes  of  their  religion  in  divine  worship  and  church 
discipline ;  .  .  .  Provided  allso,  that  all  other  Christian 
Churches  that  shall  hereafter  come  and  settle  within  this 
province  shall  have  the  same  priviledges. "  This  last  clause 
was  intended  to  admit  Romanism. 

Taxation  onl}^  by  consent  was  also  incorporated  in  this 
charter.  This  principle  Holland  had  already  maintained 
for  more  than  two  centuries.  "  The  People  "  were  also 
made  a  constituent  part  of  the  Assembly  by  their  chosen 
representatives. 

MINISTRY   OF   DELLIUS. 

About  this  time  Godfrey  Dellius  was  called  to  Albany 
(1683-99)  as  an  assistant  to  Schaats  in  his  declining  days. 
For  the  first  half-dozen  years  he  quietly  performed  his 
ministerial  duties,  but  during  the  subsequent  decade  he  was 
much  entangled  in  civil  affairs.  He,  in  common  with  all 
the  Reformed  clergy,  took  part  against  Leisler's  adminis- 
tration (1689-91) — of  which  more  anon.  He  was  an  ear- 
nest teacher  of  the  Mohawk  Indians.  After  the  Leisler 
troubles  he  was  on  the  point  of  embarking  for  Europe, 
but  Governor  Sloughter  urged  him  to  remain.  He  com- 
plied, especially,  as  he  said,  for  the  sake  of  continuing  his 
labors  among  the  poor  Indians,  who  expressed  their  grati- 
tude to  the  governor  for  his  efTort  to  retain  him.  The  gov- 
ernment allowed  him  £60  per  year  for  teaching  them.      He, 


MINISTRY  OF  BELLI  US.  8 1 

like  Domine  Megapolensis  before  him,  greatly  restrained 
their  ferocities  toward  their  French  prisoners.  Father 
Milet,  when  a  prisoner  among  the  Oneidas,  was  saved 
much  suffering  through  Dellius's  influence.  Milet,  while 
a  captive,  wrote  him  several  letters.  Father  Dablon,  an- 
other Jesuit  missionary  in  Canada,  warmly  thanked  him 
for  his  services,  and  offered  to  secure  him  pecuniary  com- 
pensation for  his  kindness  from  any  port  of  France  which 
he  might  name.  Dellius  also  corresponded  with  Governor 
Fletcher  about  the  French  and  English  difficulties.  Each 
nation  sought  to  monopolize  the  fur-trade  with  the  Indians 
of  central  New  York.  He  was  often,  also,  a  civil  agent 
to  the  Indians,  and  had  a  remarkable  power  over  them. 
With  the  conclusion  of  peace  in  Europe  between  the 
English  and  French,  Dellius  and  Peter  Schuyler  were 
sent  as  agents  to  Canada,  to  Count  de  Frontenac  (April, 
1698),  to  announce  the  peace  and  bring  to  an  end  pro- 
vincial hostilities.  They  took  with  them  nineteen  French 
prisoners'  and  secured  the  delivery  of  those  held  by  the 
French.  This  was  done  under  the  authority  of  Governor 
Bellomont. 

We  cannot  enter  into  the  complicated  land-grant  ques- 
tions in  which  he  now  became  involved.  Governor  Bello- 
mont took  part  against  him,  but  Rev.  Mr.  Vesey  prayed 
for  him  by  name,  in  Trinity  Church,  that  God  would  de- 
liver him  from  his  enemies.  Seven  hundred  pounds  were 
raised  by  his  friends  to  send  him  to  England  to  defeat  cer- 
tain legislation  concerning  the  grants  of  lands  in  question. 
The  Classis  of  Amsterdam  sent  a  formal  complaint  to  the 
Bishop  of  London  concerning  Governor  Bellomont's  treat- 
ment of  Dellius.  He  also  carried  with  him  numerous  cer- 
tificates vindicating  the  propriety  of  his  conduct,  the  two 
French  Reformed  clergymen  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Vesey  giv- 
ing theirs  among  the  rest.     The  Bishop  of  London  ex- 


82  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

pressed  his  regret  that  so  useful  a  man  as  Dellius  had  been 
interrupted  in  his  ministry  by  Bellomont. 

REPEAL    OF   THE    CHARTER    OF    LIBERTIES. 

With  the  passage  of  the  Charter  of  Liberties  everything 
looked  favorable  for  the  greatest  religious  freedom  in  New 
York.  All  acts  of  the  Assembly,  after  the  governor's  sig- 
nature, were  valid  unless  vetoed  by  the  duke.  The  "  Charter 
of  Franchises  and  Priviledges  "  was  sent  to  the  duke.  In 
May,  1684,  he  wrote  to  Dongan  favorably  concerning  it, 
and  said  that  if  amendments  were  made  they  would  be 
more  advantageous  to  the  people.  On  October  4,  1684, 
James  actually  signed  it.  It  was  ordered  to  be  sent  to 
New  York  to  be  put  on  record.  But  just  at  this  juncture, 
before  it  was  sent,  Charles  II.  died  and  James  became 
king,  and  everything  was  changed. 

The  question  now  arose  whether  the  English  system  of 
representation  in  Parliament  should  prevail  in  America,  or 
whether  the  colonists  should  be  governed  directly  by  the 
crown.  Popular  assemblies  -had  been  permitted  in  many 
of  the  colonies;  but  with  the  accession  of  James  opposite 
counsels  began  to  prevail.  The  New  York  charter  had  not 
been  perfected  by  delivery  and  registry.  Its  transmission 
was  now  suspended.  For  twenty  years  New  York  had  been 
a  dukedom  ;  now  it  became  a  royal  province.  The  charter 
sounded  difTcrently  to  the  king.  It  seemed  to  give  more 
pri\-ileges  to  New  York  than  any  other  province  enjoyed. 
That  "  t/ic people"  were  recognized  as  a  joint  factor  in  the 
government  sounded  novel  to  the  king.  No  other  Amer- 
ican constitution  had  this  expression.  The  proprietor  was 
now  the  sovereign.  It  did  not  seem  proper  that  New 
York's  Charter  of  Liberties  should  be  confirmed  by  the 
king.      But  it  is  to  be  observed  that  he  did  not  at  present 


REPEAL    OF   THE    CHARTER.  83 

veto  it;  it  remained  yet  in  force.  In  the  secret  Instruc- 
tions sent  to  Governor  Dongan  from  James  as  king  (May 
29,  1686),  he  finally  repealed  the  Charter  of  Liberties: 

"  12.  And  whereas  wee  have  been  presented  with  a  Bill 
or  Charter  passed  in  ye  late  Assembly  of  New  York,  con- 
taining several  ffranchises,  privileges,  &  Immunitys  men- 
tioned to  be  granted  to  the  Inhabitants  of  our  s<^J  province. 
You  are  to  Declare  Our  Will  and  pleasure  that  y^  said  Bill 
or  Charter  of  Franchises  bee  forthwith  repealed  &  disal- 
lowed, as  ye  same  is  hereby  Repealed,  determined  &  made 
void  ; "  but  they  were  to  continue  the  duties  and  impositions 
mentioned  in  said  charter. 

His  Instructions  in  reference  to  religious  matters  are  as 
follows :  1 

"31.  You  shall  take  especiall  care  that  God  Almighty 
bee  devoutly  and  duely  served  throughout  yor  Govern- 
ment :  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  as  it  is  now  estab- 
lisht,  read  each  Sunday  and  Holyday,  and  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  administered  according  to  the  Rites  of  the 
Church  of  England.  You  shall  be  careful  that  the  Churches 
already  built  there  shall  bee  well  and  orderly  kept  and  more 
built  as  ye  Colony  shall,  by  God's  blessing,  bee  improved. 
And  that  besides  a  competent  maintenance  to  bee  assigned 
to  ye  Minister  of  each  Church,  a  convenient  House  bee 
built  at  the  Comon  charge  for  each  Minister,  and  a  com- 
petent Proportion  of  Land  assigned  him  for  a  Glebe  and 
exercise  of  his  Industry. 

"  32.  And  you  are  to  take  care  that  the  Parishes  bee  so 
limited  &  setled  as  you  shall  find  most  convenient  for  ye 
accomplishing  this  good  work. 

"  33.  Our  will  and  pleasure  is  that  noe  minister  bee  pre- 
ferred by  you  to  any  Ecclesiastical  Benefice  in  that  Our 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  369-375. 


84  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

Province,  without  a  Certificate  from  ye  most  Reverend  the 
Lord  Archbiship  of  Canterbury  of  his  being  conformable 
to  ye  Doctrine  and  DiscipHne  of  the  Church  of  England, 
and  of  a  good  life  &  conversation. 

"  34.  And  if  any  person  preferred  already  to  a  Benefice 
shall  appear  to  you  to  give  scandal  either  by  his  Doctrin 
or  Manners,  you  are  to  use  the  best  means  for  ye  removal 
of  him ;  and  to  supply  the  vacancy  in  such  manner  as  wee 
have  directed.  And  alsoe  our  pleasure  is  that,  in  the  di- 
rection of  all  Church  Affairs,  the  Minister  bee  admitted 
into  the  respective  vestrys. 

"  35.  And  to  th'  end  the  Ecclesiastical  Jurisdiction  of  the 
said  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  may  take  place  in  that  Our 
Province  as  farr  as  conveniently  may  bee,  wee  doe  think 
fitt  that  you  give  all  countenance  and  encouragement  in 
ye  exercise  of  the  same ;  excepting  only  the  Collating  to 
Benefices,  granting  licenses  for  Marriage,  and  Probat  of 
Wills,  which  wee  have  reserved  to  you  our  Govr  &  to  ye 
Commander  in  cheif  for  the  time  being. 

"  36.  And  you  are  to  take  especial  care,  that  a  Table  of 
marriages  established  by  ye  Canons  of  the  Church  of 
England,  bee  hung  up  in  all  Orthodox  Churches  and  duly 
observed. 

"  37.  And  you  are  to  take  care  that  Books  of  Homilys 
&  Books  of  the  39  Articles  of  ye  Church  of  England  bee 
disposed  of  to  every  of  ye  said  Churches,  8:  that  they  bee 
only  kept  and  used  therein. 

"  38.  And  wee  doe  further  direct  that  noe  Schoolmaster 
bee  henceforth  permitted  to  come  from  England  &  to  keep 
school  within  Our  Province  of  New-York,  without  the  li- 
cense of  the  said  Archbishop  of  Canterbury;  And  that 
noe  other  person  now  there  or  that  shall  come  from  other 
parts,  bee  admitted  to  keep  school  without  your  license 
first  had. 


THE    TOLERATION   OF  JAMES.  85 

"  39.  You  are  to  take  care  that  Drunkeness  and  De- 
bauchery, Swearing  and  blasphemy  bee  severely  punisht ; 
And  that  none  bee  admitted  to  pubHck  trust  &  Imploymt 
whose  ill  fame  &  conversation  may  bring  scandal  there- 
upon.  .   .   . 

"  42.  You  shall  permit  all  persons  of  what  Religion  so- 
ever quietly  to  inhabit  within  yor  Government  without 
giving  them  any  disturbance  or  disquiet  whatsoever  for  or 
by  reason  of  their  differing  Opinions  in  matters  of  Religion, 
Provided  they  give  noe  disturbance  to  ye  publick  peace, 
nor  doe  molest  or  disquiet  others  in  ye  free  Exercise  of 
their  Religion." 

Such  Instructions,  coming  from  the  Catholic  James,  who 
was  "  Defender  of  the  Faith  "  of  Episcopalians,  and  directed 
to  a  Catholic  governor,  for  the  establishment  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  a  colony  the  vast  majority  of  which  were 
Dutch  Presbyterians  and  the  rest  English  dissenters — ex- 
cept a  handful  of  Episcopalians,  who  had  not  a  church 
edifice  in  the  whole  province — all  these  circumstances  con.- 
stitute  a  combination  sufKiciently  ludicrous.  The  arch- 
bishop^ would  hardly  be  called  upon  to  give  many  cer- 
tificates. And  the  last  article  (42)  of  the  Instructions  to 
Dongan,  which  might  be  commended  as  giving  universal 
toleration,  loses  its  character  when  we  learn  that,  contrary 
to  his  oath,  it  was  intended  to  pave  the  way  for  Catholi- 
cism. Religious  toleration  was  almost  perfect  in  New  York 
under  Dongan.  Several  Jesuit  fathers  lived  there,  and 
Dongan  had  his  own  chapel  and  worship.  He  tried  to 
establish  colonies  of  Catholics  at  Saratoga  and  in  central 
New  York,  and  to  send  English  priests  to  the  Indians. 
One  of  the  fathers  attempted  a  Latin  school  in  New  York, 

1  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  here  takes  the  place  of  the  Bishop  of 
London,  because  said  Bishop  (Compton)  had  offended  James  by  opposing  his 
abrogation  of  the  Test  Act. 


86  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

But  none  of  these  efforts  succeeded.      It  was  Dongan,  how- 
ever, who  gave  charters  to  New  York  and  Albany  in  1686. 

Some  of  these  Instructions,  however,  had  a  specially 
humane  tendency :  "  60.  You  shall  pass  a  Law  for  the 
Restraining  of  Inhuman  Severitys  which  by  all  masters  or 
overseers  may  be  used  toward  their  Christian  servants  or 
slaves."  The  willful  killing  of  Indians  or  negroes  was  to 
be  punished  by  death,  and  a  penalty  was  to  be  fixed  for 
maiming  them.  The  governor  was  also  directed  to  find 
out  the  best  means  to  facilitate  and  encourage  the  conver- 
sion of  negroes  and  Indians.  A  severe  censorship  was 
exercised  over  the  press.  At  this  time  the  population  of 
New  York  was  about  eighteen  thousand. 

About  this  time  a  notion  arose  in  several  of  the  planta- 
tions that  negroes  ought  not  to  be  baptized,  because  bap- 
tism would  make  them  ipso  facto  free.  James  insisted 
that  negroes  should  be  baptized,  and  that  it  was  impiety 
in  their  masters  to. prevent  it.  This  duty  was  often  re- 
ferred to  in  subsequent  instructions  to  governors,  and  the 
duty  was  made  to  apply  to  Indians  also.  The  records  of 
all  the  older  Dutch  churches,  however,  show  that  the  prac- 
tice was  common  in  them.  Negroes  were  formally  married 
and  their  children  brought  for  baptism. 

Dongan's  Commission  from  James  as  king  was  a  couple 
of  weeks  later  than  the  Instructions  above  alluded  to.  It 
is  dated  June  10,  1686.      It  thus  refers  to  religion: 

"  And  wee  doe,  by  these  presents  authorize  and  im- 
power  you  to  collate  any  person  or  persons  in  any  churches, 
chapells,  or  other  Ecclesiastical  Benefices  within  our  said 
Province  and  Territorys  aforesaid  as  often  as  any  of  them 
shall  happen  to  bee  void."i 

"  And  wee  doe  by  these  presents  will,  require  and  com- 

1  "Col.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  379. 


REPORT  OF  DONG  AN.  87 

mand  you  to  take  all  possible  care  for  the  Discountenance 
of  Vice  and  encouragement  of  Virtue  and  good  living,  that 
by  such  example  the  Infidels  may  beejnvited  and  desire 
to  partake  of  the  Christian  Religion." ^ 

It  was  not  until  January,  1687,  that  Dongan  issued  his 
proclamation  that  the  General  Assembly  was  dissolved  by 
order  of  the  king.  He  and  his  council  now  assumed  all 
authority.  New  York  was  again  a  helpless,  conquered 
province.  Its  people  had  no  voice  in  taxation.  The  con- 
dition was  a  sure  forerunner  of  revolution. 

Dongan  made  a  report  this  same  year  of  the  state  of  the 
province.  He  said  that  in  seven  years  not  more  than  twenty 
families  had  come  over  from  Great  Britain.  On  Long  Isl- 
and the  population  increased  rapidly.  Many  French  fami- 
lies were  coming  over,  and  several  Dutch  famihes  had  come. 
On  account  of  so  many  foreigners,  he  said,  it  was  important 
to  unite  New  York  and  New  England.  He  continues : 
"  Every  town  ought  to  have  a  minister.  New  York  has, 
first,  a  Chaplain'  belonging  to  the  Fort,  of  the  Church  of 
England;  secondly,  a  Dutch  Calvinist;^  thirdly,  a  French 
Calvinist;^  fourthly,  a  Dutch  Lutheran.^  Here  bee  not 
many  of  the  Church  of  England ;  few  Roman  Catholicks ; 
abundance  of  Quaker  preachers,  men  and  Women  espe- 
cially ;  Singing  Quakers  ;  Ranting  Quakers  ;  Sabbatarians  ; 
Anti-Sabbatarians;  some  Anabaptists  ;  some  Jews:  in  short, 
of  all  sorts  of  opinions  there  are  some,  and  the  most  part  of 
none  at  all.  The  Great  Church  which  serves  both  the  Eng- 
lish and  the  Dutch  is  within  the  Fort,  which  is  found  to 
be  very  inconvenient.  Therefore,  I  desire  that  there  may 
bee  an  order  for  their  building  another;  ground  being  al- 
ready layd  out  for  that  purpose,   and  they  not  wanting 

1  "  Col.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  381. 

2  Rev.  Alexander  Innis.  3  Rev.  Henry  Selyns. 

*  Rev.  Pierre  Daille.  ^  Rev.  Bernard  Arensius. 


■*-y:M 


88  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

money  in  store  wherewithal!  to  build  it.  The  most  pre- 
vailing opinion  is  that  of  the  Dutch  Calvinists.  It  is  the 
endeavor  of  all  persons  here  to  bring  up  their  children  and 
servants  in  that  opinion  which  themselves  profess ;  but  this 
I  observe,  that  they  take  no  care  of  the  conversion  of  their 
slaves.  Every  town  and  county  are  obliged  to  maintain 
their  own  poor,  which  makes  them  bee  soe  careful,  that 
noe  vagabonds,  beggars,  nor  idle  persons  are  suffered  to 
live  here.  But  as  for  the  King's  natural-born  subjects  that 
live  on  Long  Island  and  other  parts  of  Government,  I  find 
it  a  hard  task  to  make  them  pay  their  ministers."  ^ 

Upon  the  death  of  Dongan  the  authority  of  Andros,  who 
had  been  governor  of  New  England  since  1686,  was  ex- 
tended over  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  In  his  Commis- 
sion (April  7,  1688)  nothing  is  said  about  religion.  In  the 
accompanying  Instructions  (April  16,  1688),  respecting  this 
extension  of  his  authority  only  the  following  is  found  :^ 

"  You  are  to  take  care  that  drunkenness  and  debauchery, 
swearing  and  blasphemy,  be  severely  punished  ;  and  that 
none  be  admitted  to  publick  trusts  and  imployments  whose 
ill  fame  and  conversation  may  bring  a  scandall  thereupon. 

"  You  are  to  permitt  a  liberty  of  conscience  in  matters 
of  religion  to  all  persons,  so  they  be  contented  with  a  quiet 
and  peaceable  enjoymt  of  it,  pursuant  to  our  gracious  dec- 
laration bearing  date  the  fourth  day  of  April,  in  the  third 
year  of  our  reign ;  wch  you  are  to  cause  to  be  duly  ob- 
sei'ved  and  put  in  execution." 

But  there  was  no  honor  in  James  II.  All  parties  finally 
united  against  his  political  and  spiritual  despotism.  He 
was  deposed,  and  William  of  Orange,  who  had  married 
Mary,  the  oldest  daughter  of  James,  was  invited  to  save 
English  liberty  and  Protestantism.      He  was  brought  up 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  389-417,  419,  420;  vol.  ix.,  pp.  309,  312. 

2  I  hid.,  vol.  iii.,  pp.  546,  557. 


THE  LEISLER    TROUBLES.  89 

in  the  Reformed  Church  of  Holland,  and  was  very  tolerant 
in  matters  of  church  government  and  modes  of  worship; 
hence  he  could  easily  become  an  Episcopalian.  In  a  year 
the  Act  of  Toleration  was  passed,  and  received  the 
royal  signatures.  But  it  failed  to  include  Unitarians  and 
Roman  Catholics.  While  far  from  an  ideal  law,  it  was  a 
great  advance  in  the  right  direction.  But  this  beginning 
of  liberty  of  conscience  in  England  was  to  be  accompanied 
by  a  very  peculiar  and  unfortunate  episode  in  New  York. 

EPISODE    OF   THE    LEISLER   TROUBLES  (1689-91). 

New  York  was  now  composed  of  a  heterogeneous  pop- 
ulation. It  was  chiefly  Dutch,  but  there  was  a  large  French 
and  English  element.  None  of  these  particularly  loved 
James.  He  was  a  Roman  Catholic.  He  had,  as  king, 
annulled  the  Charter  of  Liberties  which,  as  proprietor,  he 
had  given  them.  The  secret  design  of  James  to  impose 
Romanism,  if  possible,  both  on  England  and  the  colonies 
was  a  constant  terror  to  the  English  settlers.  The  Hugue- 
nots^ equally  feared  his  schemes  as  well  as  the  possible  suc- 
cess of  a  French  invasion  from  Canada.  If  Count  Fron- 
tenac  were  successful  the  Huguenot  refugees  were  to  be 
shipped  back  to  France  for  punishment.  The  burning  of 
Schenectady  by  the  French  and  Indians  in  1690  was  an 
awful  corroboration  of  their  fears.  But  if  James  succeeded 
in  his  popish  schemes,  or  Frontenac  succeeded  in  French 
conquests,  the  Dutch  were  also  sure  to  suffer.  What 
wonder  that  all  were  anxious,  and  that  with  the  enforced 
abdication  of  James  all  parties  were  wild  with  joy !  The 
accession  of  William  and  Mary  was  hailed  as  a  day  of  free- 
dom. New  Netherland  had  been  conquered,  indeed,  by 
the  English,  but  England  herself  had  now  a  Dutch  king. 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  420,  650;  vol.  ix.,  p.  309. 


90  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  il. 

But  all  the  civil  officials  of  New  York  were  yet  the  crea- 
tures of  James.      This  was  almost  unendurable. 

The  people  waited  for  dispatches  appointing  new  offi- 
cials, but  they  did  not  come.  The  officials  and  the  people 
were  in  awkward  relations.  The  citizens  of  Boston  soon 
settled  the  matter  by  arresting  Governor  Andros,  who  had 
been  a  willing  tool  of  James  in  all  his  despotic  acts,  and 
appointing  a  Committee  of  Safety.  The  news  of  this  cir- 
cumstance did  not  allay  the  excited  feelings  of  the  heter- 
ogeneous population  of  New  York.  Nicholson  was  the 
lieutenant-governor  of  New  York  under  Andros.  His 
councilors — Philipse,  Van  Courtland,  and  Bayard — had 
also  been  appointed  by  James.  Ought  these  to  be  al- 
lowed to  govern,  when  the  king  whom  they  represented 
had  been  deposed,  and  his  governor  was  a  prisoner?  Why 
should  there  not  be  a  Committee  of  Safety  also  in  New 
York?  Should  the  representatives  of  a  defunct  papal  king 
hold  the  fort  of  a  Protestant  prince  ? 

The  dismissal  of  a  sentinel  by  Nicholson  brought  on  the 
crisis.  The  soldiers  and  the  citizens  agree  that  the  fort 
must  be  held  by  the  friends  of  William,  their  Dutch  king. 
Nicholson  fled,  leaving  what  power  he  could  in  the  hands 
of  his  councilors.  The  counties  elected  a  Committee  of 
Safety,  and  Colonel  Jacob  Leisler  was  appointed  captain 
of  the  fort,  and,  later,  military  commander  of  the  whole 
province.  But  the  old  councilors  stood  aloof,  and  a  por- 
tion of  the  more  aristocratic  element.  Leisler,  with  his 
party,  was  recognized  by  the  people  generally  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  William  and  Protestantism,  while  the  opposi- 
tion were  declared  to  stand  for  James  and  Romanism.  The 
dangers  from  Romanism  were  no  doubt  greatly  exagger- 
ated by  the  Leislerian  party.  Leisler  now  chose  councilors 
from  each  of  the  different  nationalities  in  the  country. 

But  from  the  first,  strange  to  say,  the  Dutch  ministers 


THE  LEISLER    TROUBLES.  9 1 

stood  by  the  old  government.  They  had  been  on  terms 
of  intimacy  with  the  former  civil  officials,  some  of  whom 
were  members  of  their  churches.  And  even  when  Leisler's 
government  was  established  dc  facto,  they  not  only  opposed 
it,  but  preached  against  his  authority.  This  bitterly  excited 
Leisler  and  his  party.  The  people  generally,  in  whom  was 
the  very  instinct  of  freedom,  believed  that  this  was  a  God-  ^ 
given  opportunity  to  establish  a  better  government,  if  not  ^ 
to  separate  church  and  state.  With  a  Dutch  king  on  the 
throne  in  England,  what  might  they  not  accomplish  ?  And 
how  could  they  endure  the  lingering  regime  of  James? 
But  the  ministers  of  religion  and  the  people,  alas!  were 
on  opposite  sides,  and  the  results  were  deplorable.  The 
people  refused  their  ministrations,  declined  to  pay  their 
salaries,  and  the  de  facto  government  began  to  persecute 
and  punish  the  ministers. 

Selyns  committed  no  overt  act  and  was  permitted  to 
remain  at  his  post,  and  was  for  a  time  the  only  Dutch 
minister  on  duty  in  the  province.  He  was,  however,  in 
close  communication  and  sympathy  with  the  leaders  of  the 
opposition,  and  was  under  constant  surveillance.  His  ser- 
vices in  the  church  were  interrupted  by  Leisler  himself,  and 
his  letters  to  Holland  intercepted. 

Domine  Dellius,  of  Albany,  was  summoned  to  appear 
in  New  York  for  failing  to  recognize  Leisler's  authority. 
He  secreted  himself  first  in  New  Jersey  and  then  on  Long 
Island,  and  was  for  a  time  in  Selyns's  house  in  New  York. 
He  afterward  fled  to  Boston.  Leisler  charged  him  with 
being  a  principal  actor  in  the  French  and  Lidian  difficul- 
ties, and  an  enemy  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  because  he  re- 
fused to  recognize  the  revolution.  He  styles  him  a  cocka- 
ran  minister.  He  says  that  he  refused  to  celebrate  thanks- 
giving day  for  the  accession  of  William  ;  that  he  even  shut 
his  door  when  the  new  king  and  queen  were  proclaimed. 


92  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  n. 

Dellius,  however,  wrote  to  England  explaining  the  position 
of  the  Dutch  clergy.  He  declared  that  it  was  not  opposi- 
tion to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  but  an  unwillingness  to  rec- 
ognize a  government  thus  constituted,  and  with  such  a 
man  as  Leisler  at  the  head  of  it. 

Domine  Varick,  of  Long  Island  (1685—94),  took  similar 
ground.  He  restrained  himself  for  a  long  time,  but  at 
length  began  to  denounce  Leisler.  He  found  it  necessary 
to  fiee  to  Delaware.  On  his  return  he  was  charged  with 
being  acquainted  with  a  design  to  rescue  the  fort  from 
Leisler.  He  was  dragged  by  a  force  of  armed  men  from 
his  house,  and  kept  in  confinement  in  the  fort  for  six  months 
(1690-91).  He  was  charged,  also,  with  speaking  treason- 
able words  against  Leisler,  and  was  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine 
of  £^0  by  De  la  Noy,  and  to  be  deposed  from  ministerial 
functions  and  kept  in  prison  until  the  fine  was  paid. 
Domine  Selyns,  with  great  magnanimity,  ofTered  himself 
and  property  as  bail  for  Varick  when  he  was  first  impris- 
oned ;  but  he  was  refused  and  threatened  with  imprison- 
ment himself.  Varick  was  at  length  released  without  the 
payment  of  the  fine,  but  he  ultimately  died  from  the 
effects  of  his  ill  treatment. 

It  was  a  great  mistake  in  the  old  councilors,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  ministers,  not  to  accept  of  the  action  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety  for  the  time  being.  The  ministers 
were  certainly  friends  of  King  William,  and  must  have  re- 
joiced in  the  overthrow  of  James.  But  the  exact  facts  of 
the  revolution  were  left  in  considerable  uncertainty  for  a 
long  time  by  the  failure  of  speedy  dispatches.  Meantime 
the  ministers,  in  their  over-prudence,  and  perhaps  influ- 
enced by  social  reasons,  stood  by  the  old  government,  and 
became  committed,  in  a  measure,  to  sustain  Nicholson's 
councilors.  They  also  believed  Leisler  quite  unfitted  for 
the  position,  which  was  no  doubt  true.      But  Leisler  was 


VINDICATION  OF  LEISLER.  93 

not  a  usurper,  as  has  been  generally  said  and  believed,  but 
was  put  at  the  head  of  affairs  by  the  Committee  of  Safety, 
and  even  received  quasi-recognition  by  King  William. 

Sloughter  was  finally  appointed  governor  by  William. 
His  captain,  Ingoldsby,  arriving  three  months  before  him, 
by  the  advice  of  the  old  councilors  at  once  demanded  the 
surrender  of  the  fort.  But  Ingoldsby  had  no  credentials 
to  show,  and  Leisler  therefore  refused.  For  this  refusal, 
after  the  arrival  of  the  governor,  Leisler  was  condemned 
by  his  old  antagonists  on  the  charge  of  treason,  and  exe- 
cuted, with  his  son-in-law,  Milbourne,  notwithstanding 
the  efforts  of  the  citizens  generally,  headed  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Daille,  to  secure  their  pardon.  Their  property  was  also 
confiscated.  Selyns  rejoiced  over  Leisler's  downfall,  and 
preached  a  sermon  from  the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  "  I  had 
fainted,  unless  I  had  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of  the 
Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living." 

The  whole  affair  was  afterward  reviewed  in  England, 
and  Queen  Mary  restored  the  estates  to  the  families ;  and 
a  bill  was  passed  by  Parliament,  not  without  great  opposi- 
tion,^ removing  the  attainder  of  treason  and  legalizing  Leis- 
ler's authority.  Fletcher,  who  was  governor  at  the  time, 
did  not  obey  the  act  of  Parliament  respecting  the  removal 
of  the  attainder  and  the  restoration  of  the  property  to  the 
family.  In  1698  the  relatives  asked  Lord  Bellomont,  then 
governor,  for  permission  to  take  up  the  bodies,  which  were 
buried  near  the  gallows,  and  give  them  Christian  burial  in 
the  Dutch  ^church.^  Partly  out  of  compassion  for  the  in- 
justice done  them  and  partly  to  show  the  power  of  Eng- 
lish law,  Bellomont  had  their  bodies  exhumed,  and,  with 
great  parade,  although  against  the  protests  of  the  Consis- 
tory and  all  the  clergy  of  the  city  of  all  denominations, 
buried  under  the  floor  of  the  Dutch  church  in  Garden 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  322.  2  Ihid.,  pp.  400,  401. 


94  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  ii. 

Street.^  The  dispute  on  these  matters  continued  for  many- 
years,  to  the  great  injury  of  reHgion,-  the  province  being 
divided  into  two  parties,  Leislerians  and  anti-Leislerians. 

In  the  burning  of  Schenectady,  above  alluded  to,  Dom- 
ine  Tesschenmaeker  lost  his  life.  The  French  were  seek- 
ing to  gain  control  of  the  Indian  trade,  and  had  carefully 
planned  the  capture  of  Albany  and  New  York  in  1690. 
The  earlier  part  of  the  plan  was  not  wholly  carried  out, 
but  a  party  of  French  and  Indians  left  Montreal,  and,  pro- 
ceeding by  the  way  of  Lake  Champlain,  intended  to  attack 
Albany.  The  Indian  chiefs  not  consenting,  they  turned 
off  toward  Schenectady.  Orders  were  given  that'  the 
domine's  life  sliould  be  spared  on  account  of  the  informa- 
tion he  could  give  them.  But  his  house  was  not  known, 
and  before  he  could  be  personally  recognized  he  was  slain 
and  his  house  and  papers  burned.  His  head  was  cloven 
open  and  his  body  burned  to  the  shoulder-blades.  This 
took  place  on  a  Saturday  night  at  midnight.  Sixty  persons 
lost  their  lives. 

1  For  heads  of  accusation  against  Bellomont  (1700)  for  this  conduct 
see  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  620. 

2  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  1018.  Writers  have  generally  denounced 
Leisler  as  a  usurper.  Brodhead,  in  his  "  History  of  New  York,"  and  Hon. 
Henry  C.  Murphy,  in  his  "  Anthology  of  New  Netherland,"  take  this  view, 
which  was  also  aclopted  in  the  "  Manual  "  of  1879.  See  also  "  Col.  Docs.," 
vol.  iii.,  pp.  667-684,  716,  717,  738-753.  But  Dr.  A.  G.  Vermilye,  in  an 
address  before  the  Oneida  Historical  .Society  in  1891,  has  completely  over- 
thrown these  views  and  unanswerably  vindicated  Leisler.  The  same  article 
is  reprinted  in  "  Memorial  History  of  New  York,"  vol.  i.,  p.  453. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WILLIAM    III.    ( 1 688-1  702). 

The  era  of  enforced  religious  uniformity  ceased  in  Eng- 
land with  the  expulsion  of  the  Stuarts  and  William's  Act 
of  Toleration  (1689).  Protestant  dissenters  were  to  be 
tolerated!  But  religious  freedom  in  the  colonies  now 
seemed  to  lose  ground.  The  freedom  of  worship  granted 
by  James  in  his  "Duke's  Laws"  (1664—85)  and  in  his 
royal  Instructions  (1685—88)  had  an  ulterior  object  in  view, 
as  we  have  seen.  He  was  himself  a  papist.  He  nullified 
the  Test  Acts  relating  to  popery  as  far  as  he  could,  and 
his  apparent  liberality  was  chiefly  intended  to  facilitate  the 
introduction  of  popery  in  New  York.  This  judgment  is 
warranted  by  the  facts  and  the  character  of  the  man.  But 
in  William  the  Protestant  succession  is  restored,  and  the 
regular  policy  of  extending  the  English  ecclesiastical  sys- 
tem is  resumed,  and  New  York  is  to  enjoy  the  benefit! 
But  there  is  another  side  to  the  question.  Will  the  Dutch 
and  other  non-episcopal  bodies  permit  a  church  to  be  es- 
tablished which  represents  hardly  a  tithe  of  the  inhabit- 
ants? 

Governor  Sloughter  (March-July,  1691)  brought  over 
with  him  a  Commission  from  William  to  restore  the  As- 
sembly, which  James  had  taken  away.  It  was  accordingly 
reorganized  in  1 69 1.      His  Commission  ^  and  Instructions,'- 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  623.  2  jhid.,  pp.  688,  689. 

95 


96  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  hi. 

SO  far  as  they  relate  to  religion,  were  almost  identical  with 
those  of  James  to  Governor  Dongan,  except  the  forty- 
second  paragraph,  which  is  omitted.  (See  page  85.)  The 
"  competent  maintenance  to  be  allowed  to  the  minister  of 
each  orthodox  ^  Church  "  seemed  an  almost  harmless  ad- 
dition, but  subsequently  was  understood  in  a  limited  sense. - 
The  American  provinces  were  now  again  placed  under  the 
care  of  the  Bishop  of  London  instead  of  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury.  If  these  Instructions  were  enforced,  all  min- 
isters in  Dutch  churches,  and  schoolmasters  even,  could  be 
installed  only  upon  presenting  a  certificate  from  the  said 
bishop.  But  it  was  seldom  policy  to  attempt  to  enforce 
all  the  suggestions  in  these  Instructions.  They  had  not 
the  force  of  law. 

The  following  paragraphs  are  added  ^  to  these  Instruc- 
tions of  William  to  Sloughter,  which  are  not  found  in 
those  of  James  to  Dongan : 

"  You  shall  administer,  or  cause  to  be  administered,  the 
Oaths  appoinfJ  by  Act  of  Parliament,  instead  of  the  Oaths 
of  allegiance  and  Supremacy,  and  the  Test,  to  the  members 
and  officers  of  our  Council!,  to  all  Judges  and  Justices,  and 
all  other  Persons  that  hold  any  office  in  our  said  Province 
by  vertue  of  any  Patent  under  our  Great  Seal  of  England 
or  our  Seal  of  our  Province  of  New  York. 

"  You  are  to  permit  a  liberty  of  Conscience  to  all  Persons 
(except  Papists),  so  they  be  contented  with  a  quiet  and 
Peaceable  enjoyment  of  it,  not  giving  offence  or  scandall 
to  the  Government." 

Thus  the  Test  Act  of  1673  was  restored.  This  act  re- 
quired, besides  oaths  of  allegiance  and  supremacy  to  the 
king,  the  partaking  of  the  sacrament  according  to  the  Eng- 

1  See  paragraph  31  of  Dongan's  Instructions,  p.  ?<t,. 

2  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  v.,  p.  135;  vol.  vii.,  p.  347,  etc. 

3  Ibid.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  689. 


GOVERXOR  FLETCHER.  97 

lish  Episcopal  form,  and  signing  a  declaration  against  the 
Romish  doctrine  of  transubstantiation. 


THE    MINISTRY    ACT    AND    ITS    CONSEQUENCES. 

In  accordance  with  this  general  policy  the  governor  pro- 
posed in  1 69 1  the  passage  of  an  act  for  the  proper  main- 
tenance of  a  minister  1  in  every  town  where  there  were  forty 
families  or  more.  A  bill  was  prepared  which  reflected  the 
views  of  the  governor.  But  the  Assembly  considering  that 
the  towns  were  already  fairly  well  supplied  with  ministers, 
the  bill  was  rejected.  A  similar  bill  was  presented  in  1692, 
which  met  with  a  similar  fate.  Sloughter  died  suddenly 
in  July,  1 69 1. 

Governor  Fletcher  arrived  in  September,  1692.  His 
Commission  2  and  Instructions'^  were  the  same.substantially, 
as  his  predecessor's  on  religious  matters.  Immediately  on 
his  arrival  he  renewed  the  recommendation  to  the  Assem- 
bly to  pass  a  bill  for  settling  a  ministry.  The  Assembly, 
however,  which  was  overwhelmingly  Dutch,  was  not  as 
docile  as  the  governor  expected.  They  loved  the  Dutch 
language  and  the  polity  of  the  Church  of  Holland.  Noth- 
ing was  accomplished.  In  March,  1693,  the  governor 
warmly  rebuked  them  for  not  acceding  to  his  wishes. 
He  said:'*  "Gentlemen,  the  first  thing  that  I  did  recom- 
mend to  you  at  our  last  meeting  was  to  provide  for  a 
ministry,  and  nothing  is  done  in  it.  There  are  none  of 
you  but  what  are  big  with  the  privileges  of  Englishmen 
and  Magna  Charta,  w^hich  is  your  right;  and  the  same  law 
doth  provide  for  the  religion  of  the  Church  of  England, 
against  Sabbath-breaking  and  all  other  profanity.  But  as 
you  have  made  it  last  and  postponed  it  this  session,  I  hope 

1  Council  "Journal,"  p.  2.  2  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  827. 

3  Ibid.,  pp.  818-824.  *  Council  "Journal,"  p.  35. 


98  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  hi. 

you  will  begin  with  it  the  next  meeting,  and  do  somewhat 
toward  it  effectually." 

At  the  next  session  (September,  1693)  he  accordingly 
made  another  attempt  to  secure  the  passage  of  a  Ministry 
Act  for  the  whole  colony,  including  the  erection  of  an  Eng- 
lish chapel  in  New  York  City.  In  his  message  to  the  As- 
sembly he  says: ^  "  I  recommended  to  the  former  Assem- 
bly the  settling  of  an  able  ministry,  that  the  worship  of 
God  may  be  observed  among  us,  for  I  find  that  great  and 
first  duty  very  much  neglected.  Let  us  not  forget  that 
there  is  a  God  who  made  us,  who  will  protect  us  if  we 
serve  him.  This  has  been  always  the  first  thing  I  have 
recommended,  yet  the  last  in  your  consideration.  I  hope 
that  you  are  all  satisfied  of  the  great  necessity  and  duty 
that  lies  upop  you  to  do  this,  as  you  expect  his  blessings 
upon  your  labors." 

The  persistence  of  the  governor  induced  the  house  at 
last  (September  12,  1693)  to  appoint  a  committee  of  eight 
to  prepare  a  bill.  It  was  modeled  more  or  less  closely 
upon  Graham's  bill  of  the  year  before,  as  that  had  been  on 
Sloughter's.  When  presented  to  the  Assembly  it  was  de- 
bated for  a  week,  and  amended  ;  and  when  finally  adopted 
it  was  limited  in  its  application  to  certain  pnrislies  in  only 
fonr  counties  out  of  the  ten  counties  of  the  province.  It  was 
also  entirely  unsectarian,  having  no  special  application  to 
one  denomination  more  than  to  another.  When  sent  to 
the  governor  he  returned  it  with  the  artful  request  to 
amend  it,  so  as  to  invest  him  with  the  ejiiscopal  power  of 
inducting  all  ministers  into  their  offices,  by  adding  after 
the  first  sentence  of  Article  VI.  these  words:  "And  pre- 
sented to  the  governor  to  be  approved  and  collated."  But 
the  house  refused  to  accept  of  this  suggestion.  Tliey  de- 
clared that  "  in  the  drawing  of  the  bill  they  had  had  a  due 
1  Council  "Journal,"  p.  42, 


GOVERNOR   FLETCHER.  99 

regard  to  that  pious  intent  of  settling  a  ministry  for  the 
benefit  of  the  people."'  This  exasperated  Fletcher,  and  he 
at  once  broke  up  their  session  in  an  angry  speech.  Among 
other  things  he  said:^  "  Gentlemen,  there  is  also  a  bill  for 
the  settling  of  a  ministry  in  this  city  and  some  other  coun- 
ties of  the  government.  In  that  thing  you  have  shown 
a  great  deal  of  stiffness.  You  take  upon  you  as  if  you 
were  dictators.  I  sent  down  to  you  an  amendment  of 
three  or  four  words  in  that  bill,  which,  though  very  im- 
material, yet  was  positively  denied.  ...  It  seems  very 
unmannerly.  There  never  was  an  amendment  yet  desired 
by  the  Council  Board  but  what  was  rejected.  It  is  the 
sign  of  a  stubborn  ill  temper.  .  .  .  But,  gentlemen,  I  must 
take  leave  to  tell  you,  if  you  seem  to  understand  that  none 
can  serve  without  your  collation  or  establishment,  you  are 
far  mistaken  ;  for  I  have  the  power  of  collating  or  suspend- 
ing any  minister  in  my  governnient  by  their  Majesties' 
letters  patent ^^  and  whilst  I  stay  in  the  government  I  will 
take  care  that  neither  heresy,  sedition,  schism,  nor  rebell- 
ion be  preached  among  you,  nor  vice  and  profanity  en- 
couraged. .  .  .  You  ought  to  consider  that  you  have  but 
a  third  share  in  the  legislative  power  of  the  government, 
and  ought  not  to  take  all  upon  you,  nor  be  so  peremptory. 
You  ought  to  let  the  Council  have  a  share.  They  are  in 
the  nature  of  a  House  of  Lords,  or  upper  house;  but  you 
seem  to  take  the  whole  power  in  your  hands,  and  set  up 
for  everything.  You  have  set  a  long  time  to  little  pur- 
pose, and  have  been  a  great  charge  to  the  country.  Ten 
shillings  a  day  is  a  large  allowance,  and  you  punctually 
exact  it.  You  have  been  always  forward  enough  to  pull 
down  the  fees  of  other  ministers  in  the  government.      Why 

1  Council  "  Journal,"  p.  47. 

2  In  1707  Lewis  Morris  argued  that  the  Assembly  was  not  hound  by  the 
royal  Instructions  to  the  governor.     "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  v.,  p.  19. 


lOO  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  hi. 

did  you  not  think  it  expedient  to  correct  your  own  to  a 
more  moderate  allowance?  ...  I  shall  say  no  more  at 
present  but  that  you  do  withdraw  to  your  private  affairs 
in  the  country.  I  do  prorogue  you  to  the  tenth  of  Janu- 
ary next  [1694]." 

The  following  is  the  act : 

"an  act  for  settling  a  ministry,  and  raising  a  mainte- 
nance FOR  THEM  IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK,  COUNTY  OF 
RICHMOND,  WESTCHESTER  AND  QUEEN'S  COUNTY.  PASSED 
SEPTEMBER    22,    1693.       (CHAPTER    33.) 

"  Whereas,  Profaneness  and  Licentiousness  hath  of  late 
overspread  this  province,  for  Want  of  a  settled  Ministry 
throughout  the  same :  to  the  End  the  same  may  be  re- 
moved, and  the  Ordinances  of  GOD  duly  administered ; 

"  I.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  and  Council,  and 
Representatives  convened  in  General  Assembly,  and  by  the 
Authority  of  the  same,  That  in  each  of  the  respective  Cities 
and  Counties  hereafter  mentioned  and  expressed,  there 
shall  be  called,  inducted,  and  established,  a  good  sufficient 
Protestant  Minister,  to  officiate,  and  have  the  Care  of  Souls, 
within  one  Year  next,  and  after  the  Publication  hereof,  tha,t 
is  to  say;  In  the  City  of  New  York,  One ;  in  the  county  of 
Richmond,  One  ;  in  the  county  of  Westchester,  Two  ; — One 
to  have  the  Care  of  Westchester,  Eastchester,  Yonkers,  and 
the  Manor  of  PelJiam;  the  Other  to  have  the  Care  of  Rye, 
Mamarenock,  and  Bedford;  in  QnecJi's  County,  Two ;  One 
to  have  the  Care  of  Jamaica,  and  the  adjacent  Towns  and 
Farms ;  the  Other  to  have  the  Care  of  Hamstead,  and  the 
next  adjacent  Towns  and  Farms. 

"II.  And  for  their  respective  Encouragement,  Be  it 
further  enacted,  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  there 
shall  be  annually,  and  once  in  every  Year,  in  every  of  the 
respective  Cities  and  Counties  aforesaid,  assessed,  levied, 


THE  MINISTRY  ACT.  lOI 

collected,  and  paid,  for  the  Maintenance  of  each  of  their 
respective  Ministers,  the  respective  Sums  hereafter  men- 
tioned ;  that  is  to  say;  For  the  City  and  County  of  New 
York,  One  Hundred  Pounds;  for  the  two  Precincts  of  Wcst- 
c/iester,  One  Hundred  Pounds,  to  each  Fifty  Ponnds,  to  be 
paid  in  Country  Produce,  at  Money  Price ;  for  the  County 
of  Richmond,  Forty  Ponnds,  in  Country  Produce,  at  Money 
Price ;  and  for  the  two  Precincts  of  Qnccn's  county,  One 
Hundred  and  Tiventy  Ponnds,  to  each  Sixty  Ponnds,  in 
Country  Produce,  at  Money  Price. 

"  III.  And  for  the  more  orderly  Raising  the  respective 
Maintenances  for  the  Ministers  aforesaid.  Be  it  further 
enacted,  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  the  respective 
Justices  of  every  City  and  County  aforesaid,  or  any  Two 
of  them,  shall  every  Year,  issue  out  their  Warrants  to  the 
Constables,  to  summons  the  Freeholders  of  every  City, 
County,  and  Precinct  aforesaid,  together,  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  January,  for  the  chusing  of  Ten  Vestry-Men, 
and  two  Church-Wardens;  and  the  said  Justices  and  Ves- 
try-Men, or  major  Part  of  them,  are  hereby  impowered, 
within  Ten  Days  after  the  said  Day,  or  any  Day  after,  as 
to  them  shall  seem  convenient,  to  lay  a  reasonable  Tax  on 
the  said  respective  Cities,  Counties,  Parish,  or  Precincts  for 
the  Maintenance  of  the  Minister  and  Poor  of  their  respect- 
ive Places ;  and  if  they  shall  neglect  to  issue  their  Warrants, 
so  as  the  Election  be  not  made  that  day,  they  shall  respect- 
ively forfeit  Five  Ponnds  current  Money  of  this  Province : 
And  in  Case  the  said  Freeholders  duly  summoned,  as 
aforesaid,  shall  not  appear,  or  appearing,  do  not  chuse  the 
said  Ten  Vestry-Men  and  two  Church- Wardens,  that  then 
in  their  Default,  the  said  Justices  shall,  within  Ten  Days 
after  the  said  second  Tuesday,  or  on  any  Day  after,  as  to 
them  shall  seem  convenient,  lay  the  said  reasonable  Tax, 
on  the  said  respective  Places,  for  the  respective  Mainte- 


I02  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  hi. 

nances  aforesaid  ;  And  if  the  said  Justices  and  Vestry-men 
shall  neglect  their  Duty  herein,  they  shall  respectively 
forfeit  Five  Pounds,  current  Money,  aforesaid. 

"  IV.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  by  the  Authority  afore- 
said, That  such  of  the  Justices  and  Vestry-Men,  that  shall 
not  be  present  at  the  time  appointed,  to  make  the  said 
Taxes,  and  therefor  be  convicted,  by  a  certificate  under  the 
Hands  of  such  as  do  appear,  and  have  no  sufficient  Excuse 
for  the  same ;  shall  respectively  forfeit  Five  Pounds,  current 
Money  aforesaid :  And  a  Roll  of  the  said  Tax  so  made, 
shall  be  delivered  into  the  Hands  of  the  respective  Con- 
stables of  the  said  Cities,  Counties,  Parishes,  and  Precincts, 
with  a  warrant  signed  by  any  two  Justices  of  the  Peace, 
impowering  him  or  them  to  levy  the  said  Tax  ;  and  upon 
Refusal,  to  distrain,  and  sell  by  public  Outcry,  and  pay  the 
same  into  the  Hand  of  the  Church-Wardens,  retaining  to 
himself  Twelve  Pence  per  Pound,  for  levying  thereof :  And 
if  any  Person  shall  refuse  to  pay  what  he  is  so  assessed, 
and  the  said  Constables  do  strain  for  the  same ;  all  his 
charges  shall  be  paid  him,  with  such  further  allowance  for 
his  Pains,  as  the  said  Justices,  or  any  of  them,  shall  judge 
reasonable;  And  if  the  said  Justice  or  Justices,  shall  neg- 
lect to  issue  the  said  Warrant,  he  or  they  respectively  shall 
forfeit  Five  Pounds  current  Money  aforesaid  ;  and  if  the 
said  Constables,  or  any  of  them  fail  of  their  Duty  herein, 
they  shall  respectively  forfeit  Five  Pounds  current  Money 
aforesaid.  And  the  Church-Wardens  so  chosen,  shall  un- 
dertake the  said  Office  and  receive  and  keep  a  good  account 
of  the  Monies  or  Goods  levied  by  Virtue  of  this  Act,  and 
the  same  issue  by  Order  from  the  said  Justices  and  Vestry- 
Men  of  the  respective  Cities,  Counties,  Precincts,  and  Par- 
ishes aforesaid,  for  the  Purposes  and  Interests  aforesaid, 
and  not  otherwise  :  And  the  Church-Warden  shall,  as  often 
as  thereunto  required,  yield  and  give  a  just  and  true  ac- 


THE  MINISTRY  ACT.  IO3 

count  unto  the  Justices  and  Vestry-Men,  of  all  their 
Receipts  and  Disbursements  ;  And  in  case  the  said  Church- 
Wardens,  or  any  of  them,  shall  neglect  their  Duty  therein, 
they  shall  respectively  forfeit  Five  Pounds,  current  Money 
aforesaid,  for  every  Refusal. 

"  V.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  by  the  AntJiority  afore- 
said, That  the  said  Church-Wardens,  in  their  respective 
Precincts  aforesaid,  shall,  by  Warrant,  as  aforesaid,  pay 
unto  the  respective  Ministers,  the  Maintenance  aforesaid, 
by  four  equal  and  quarterly  payments,  under  the  Penalty 
and  Forfeitures,  of  Five  Pounds,  current  Money  aforesaid, 
for  each  Neglect,  Refusal,  or  Default ;  the  one  Half  of  all 
which  Forfeitures,  shall  be  disposed  of  to  the  Use  of  the 
Poor,  in  the  respective  Precincts,  where  the  same  doth 
arise,  and  the  other  Half  to  him  or  them  that  shall  prose- 
cute the  same. 

"  VI.  Always  provided,  and  be  it  further  Enacted,  by  the 
Authority  aforesaid,  that  all  and  every  of  the  respective 
Ministers,  that  shall  be  settled  in  the  respective  Cities, 
Counties,  and  Precincts  aforesaid,  shall  be  called  to  officiate 
in  their  respective  Precincts,  by  the  respective  Vestry-men, 
and  Church-Wardens  aforesaid.  And,  Ahvays  Provided, 
That  all  the  former  Agreements,  made  with  Ministers 
throughout  this  Province,  shall  continue  and  remain  in 
their  full  Force  and  Virtue ;  anything  contained  herein  to 
the  contrary  hereof,  in  any  wise  notwithstanding." 

This  was  the  best  act  which  the  governor  could  extort 
from  the  restored  Assembly,  and  it  was  a  great  disap- 
pointment to  him.  The  Assembly  did  not  mean  to 
establish  the  Church  of  England,  and  they  did  not  do  it. 
This  act  did  not  receive  the  royal  confirmation  until  May 
1 1,  1697,^  five  days  after  the  date  of  the  charter  of  Trinity 
Church. 

1  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  vi.,  p.  21. 


I04  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  hi. 

The  immediate  circumstances  which  led  Fletcher  to  press 
this  bill  so  earnestly  at  this  time  are  thus  given  by  Colonel 
Morris,  himself  a  churchman,  in  writing  to  John  Chamber- 
layne,  Esq.,  in  171 1.      He  says:^ 

"  In  Coll.  Fletcher's  time,  one  Party  of  the  Dissenters, 
in  the  county  where  Jamaica  is,  resolved  to  build  a  church, 
and  in  order  to  it,  got  subscriptions  and  materials  enough 
to  build  it  about  three  foot  from  the  ground;  but  finding 
themselves  unable  to  perfect  it  without  the  assistance  of 
the  rest,  which  could  not  be  got  by  persuasion,  they  re- 
solved to  attempt  the  getting  an  Act  of  Assembly  in  their 
favor.  Coll.  Fletcher,  who  was  then  governor,  and  James 
Graham,  Esq.,  then  Speaker  of  the  Assembly,  percei\ing 
the  Assembly  mclined  to  raise  money  for  the  building  of 
that  church,,  and  settling  a  maintenance  for  ministers, 
thought  it  a  fit  opportunity  to  do  something  in  favor  of 
the  Church,  before  the  zealous  fit  left  them.  Accordingly 
Graham,  who  had  the  drawing  of  their  Bills,  prescribed  a 
method  of  induction,  and  so  managed  it  that  it  would  not 
do  well  for  the  Dissenters  and  but  lamely  for  the  Church, 
tho'  it  would  do  with  the  help  of  the  Go\'ernor,  and  that 
was  all ;  but  it  was  the  most  could  be  got  at  that  time,  for 
had  more  been  attempted  the  Assembly  had  seen  through 
the  Artifice,  being  most  of  them  Dissenters,  and  all  had 
been  lost.  By  virtue  of  this  Act  the  church  was  built,  and 
a  dissenting  minister  called,  and  (if  I  mistake  not)  Paid. 
The  other  dissenters,  who  were  forced  to  comply,  were 
very  much  dissatisfied  at  this  Procedure  of  their  Brethren, 
and  many  of  them  appeared  in  the  Interest  of  the  Church, 
thinking  no  way  so  effectual  to  defeat  their  adversaries ; 
and  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
Jamaica  on  Long  Island.   .   .   . 

"  The  Act  to  settle  the  Church  is  very  loosely  worded, 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  v.,  p.  321.    Punctuation  is  added  to  facilitate  reading. 


COLONEL  MORELS' S  LETTER. 


105 


which  (as  things  stood  when  it  was  made)  could  not  be 
avoided.  The  Dissenters  claim  the  Benefit  of  it  as  well 
as  we,  and  the  Act,  without  much  wresting,  will  admit  a 
construction  in  their  favor  as  well  as  ours;  they  think  it 
was  intended  for  them,  and  that  they  only  have  a  right  to 
it;  there  is  no  comparison  in  our  numbers,  and  they  can 
on  the  death  of  an  Incumbent  call  persons  of  their  own 
persuasion  in  every  place  but  the  City  of  New  York ;  and 
if  by  force  the  salary  is  taken  from  them  and  paid  to  the 
Ministers  of  the  Church,  it  may  be  a  means  of  subsisting 
those  Ministers,  but  they  wont  make  many  converts  among 
a  people  who  think  themselves  very  much  injured  ;  whereas, 
let  this  matter  be  once  regularly  determined,  and  then  their 
mouths  are  forever  stopt,  and  they'll  live  in  Peace;  and 
then  the  Church  will  in  all  probability  flourish,  and  I  be- 
lieve had  at  this  day  been  in  a  much  better  position,  had 
there  been  no  Act  in  her  favor;  for  in  the  Jerseys  and 
Pensilvania,  where  there  is  no  act,  there  are  four  times  the 
number  of  Church  men  than  there  are  in  this  province  of 
N.  York ;  and  they  are  soe,  most  of  them,  upon  principle, 
whereas  nine  parts  in  ten,  of  ours,  will  add  no  great  credit 
to  whatever  church  they  are  of ;  nor  can  it  well  be  expected 
otherwise  ;  for  as  New  England,  excepting  some  Families, 
was  the  scum  of  the  old,  so  the  greater  part  of  the  Eng- 
lish in  this  Province  were  the  scum  of  the  new  ;  who  brought 
as  many  opinions  almost  as  Persons,  but  neither  Religion 
nor  Virtue,  and  have  acquired  very  little  since." 

In  1 715  Mr.  Morris  again  writes:  "The  people  were 
generally  dissenters,  and  averse  to  the  Religion  of  the 
Church  of  England ;  and  when  the  Act  was  passed  that 
provided  for  the  Maintenance  of  Ministers  abovesaid,  it 
was  to  settle  an  Orthodox  Ministry ;  which  words,  were  a 
Governor  a  Dissenter  and  would  induct  Dissenters,  would 
be  as  favorable  in  favor  of  them  as  the  Church;  and  the 


I06  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chai'.  hi. 

people  who  ne'er  could  be  brought  to  settle  an  Episcopal 
clergy  in  direct  terms  fancied  they  had  made  an  effectual 
provision  for  Ministers  of  their  own  persuasion  by  this 
Act." 

Fletcher  signed  the  bill,  but  at  once  began  to  wrest  it 
from  its  true  intent.  The  very  next  month,  in  writing  to 
the  Committee  of  Trade,  he  implies  that  the  bill  meant 
differently  from  what  its  words  declare.  He  says :  "  I 
have  gott  them  to  settle  a  fund  for  a  Ministry  in  the  City 
of  New  York  and  three  more  Countys  which  could  never 
be  obtained  before,  being  a  mixt  people,  and  of  different 
perswasions  in  Religion."^  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore, 
that  it  was  subsequently  assumed  in  legal  instruments  that 
this  Ministry  Act  did  establish  the  Church  of  England,  and 
that  this  assumption  was  frequently  incorporated,  in  an 
incidental  manner,  in  various  acts  of  the  Assembly,  until 
by  many  it  came  to  be  believed. 

Two  years  after  the  passage  of  the  Ministry  Act  the 
vestrymen  and  churchwardens  chosen  under  the  act  of 
1693  petitioned  the  Assembly  as  to  the  exact  meaning  of 
the  act.  The  Assembly  declared  "  that  the  vestrymen  and 
churchwardens  have  power  to  call  a  dissenting  Protestant 
minister,  and  that  he  is  to  be  paid  and  maintained  as  the 
law  directs."  Governor  Fletcher,  however,  argued  against 
this  interpretation,  saying,  "  There  is  no  Protestant  Church 
admits  of  such  officers  as  Churchwardens  and  Vestrymen 
but  the  Church  of  England."- 

REV.   JOHN    miller's   VIEW    OF   NEW    YORK    AND    ITS 
NECESSITIES   (1695). 

In  1693  Rev.  John  Miller  arrived  as  chaplain  to  the 
English  troops.      In  February,  1694,  he  claimed  the  bene- 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  57.  2  Council  "Journal,"  p.  76. 


.REV.  JOHN  MILLER'S  LETTER.  I07 

fit  of  the  Ministry  Act.  Fletcher  was  disposed  to  agree 
thereto,  but  the  council  were  unyielding.  In  1695  he  wrote 
a  monograph  upon  the  condition  and  necessities  of  the 
province  for  the  information  of  the  Bishop  of  London,  to 
whom  it  is  addressed.  He  describes  the  country  and  its 
towns,  forts,  etc.,  giving  maps  of  the  same.  He  portrays 
the  immoralities  of  the  country ;  speaks  of  the  deficiency 
of  ministers  and  churches ;  that  there  is  sometimes,  if  the 
chaplain  of  the  troops  is  away,  not  a  single  minister  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  the  country  ;  that  there  are  many 
pretended  ministers,  Presbyterians  and  Independents,  sup- 
ported by  voluntary  contributions.  He  speaks  of  the  great 
variety  of  religious  opinions ;  of  the  successful  labors  of 
Dellius  and  the  Jesuits  among  the  Indians,  "  though  by  a 
method  not  so  exact  and  prevalent  as  might  be  used ;  .  .  . 
the  first  not  being  yet  established  in  any  good  order  at 
all,  and  the  last  being  converted  to  popery.  I  look  upon 
the  whole  work  as  yet  wholly  to  be  done  ;  and  if  what 
has  been  already  done  is  not  a  disadvantage  to  it,  yet  that 
little  advantage  is  gained  thereby,  except  a  demonstration 
of  the  inclination  of  the  Indians  to  embrace  the  Christian 
religion." 

He  then  earnestly  advises  the  sending  over  of  a  bishop 
as  a  suffragan  to  the  Bishop  of  London.  He  should  be 
"  a  person  of  an  obliging  temper  and  conversation  "  ;  should 
reside  in  New  York  as  the  chief  city,  where  he  would  be 
protected  by  the  troops  if  there  were  any  opposition  to  his 
presence ;  "  that  his  Majesty,  uniting  the  provinces  of  New 
York,  Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  and  Rhode  Island  into  one 
government,  will  please  to  send  him  over  governor  thereof, 
allowing  him  all  the  powers  and  privileges  granted  usually 
to  the  governors  of  New  York,  with  power  also  to  go  out 
of  his  province  so  often  as  he  shall  think  good  to  visit  the 
other  provinces  as  bishop  only,  and  to  constitute,  not  only 


Io8  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  hi. 

for  the  time  of  his  absence,  but,  if  he  see  necessary,  at  other 
times,  a  Heutenant-governor  under  him." 

He  then  suggests  that  he  should  be  allowed  ;^I500  as 
governor,  out  of  which  he  should  pay  the  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor;  that  he  should  have  "some  considerable  preferment 
in  England  that  does  not  require  his  personal  residence  "  ; 
that  he  should  have  "  all  licenses  of  marriage  and  probates 
of  wills,  and  other  things  usually  belonging  to  the  bishops 
in  England  "  ;  that  the  "  king's  farm  "  should  be  given  to 
him  as  "  a  seat  for  himself  and  successors  "  ;  that  he  should 
be  made  proprietor  of  the  Mohawk  country,  which  he 
should  settle  with  a  hundred  families,  and  this  should 
descend  to  his  ecclesiastical  successors;  that  a  church 
should  be  built  in  New  York  by  contributions  of  his  Maj- 
esty, the  bishops,  and  others ;  that  part  of  the  New  Eng- 
land revenue  for  converting  the  Indians  should  be  given 
him  ;  that  a  chaplain  should  be  appointed  for  the  soldiers 
in  Albany  ;  that  several  young  ministers  should  come  over 
with  this  suffragan  bishop ;  that  he  should  cause  the  good 
laws  of  England  to  be  put  in  execution ;  that  ministers 
should  be  settled  "  in  those  towns  already  provided  for  by 
Act  of  Assembly  "  ;  and  that  this  act  should  be  extended 
to  other  towais.  He  then  suggests  plans  for  the  conquest 
of  Canada. 

He  also  says  that  New  York  had  about  eight  hundred 
houses,  Albany  about  two  hundred,  and  Kingston  about 
one  hundred ;  that  the  whole  province  contained  about 
three  thousand  families,  of  which  one  half  were  Dutch,  a 
great  part  of  the  remainder  English,  and  the  rest  were 
French.  As  to  religion,  the  people  were  very  much  divided. 
The  Dutch  were  wealthy,  the  English  in  moderate  circum- 
stances, the  French  were  poor.  He  then  gives  a  table  of 
churches,  ministers,  and  families,  which  is  so  instructive 
that  we  cannot  forbear  transcribing  it : 


STATISTICS,  1605. 

109 

New  York  in  1695. 

Counties. 

Churches. 

Minisiers. 

Families. 

New  York 

Chapel  in  the  fort 

Dutch  Calvinists 

[Rev.  John  Miller] 

Dr.  Selinus 

90 
450 

30 
200 

French 

Jews'  Synagogue 

Harlem  [Dutch] 

Dr.  Perot 

Dr.  Selinus 

25 
English    40,    Dis- 
senters. 

Richmond 

A  Meeting  House 

Dr.  Bonrepos 

English,  40 
Dutch,     44 
French,  36 

Kings 

Flatbush. 

Utrecht. 

Brookland. 

Dr.    Varick   died   Aug., 
1694,  and  another  sent 
for  Alay  27,  1695. 

300    or   400,  chiefly 
Dutch. 

Queens 

femtsteadl  Mee^ng 
Newtown     >   "°"'^'- 

Mr.  Philips  1  without 
Mr.  Vesey    >     any 
Mr.  Mot       )  orders. 

300  or  400  English, 
most     Dissenters, 
and  some  Dutch. 

Suffolk 

Eight  or  nine  Meeting 
Houses ;    almost    one 
at  every  town. 

Seven     ministers,     Dis- 
senters,   Presbyterian, 
or  Independent.     One 
lately    gone    to    Scot- 
land. 

500  or  600  English, 
and  Dissenters  for 
the  most  part. 

West  Chester.  . 

A    Meeting    House    at 
West  Chester. 

A  young  man  coming  to 
settle     there,    without 
orders. 

200  or  300,  English 
and      Dissenters; 
few  Dutch. 

Orange 

20,      English      and 
Dutch. 

30,      English      and 
Dutch. 

Ulster 

Dutch       Calvinist,      at 
Kingstone,  for  five  or 
six  towns. 

A  minister  to  come,  his 
books  brought ;  but  he 
missed  his  passage. 

300,  Dutch  mostly ; 
some  English  and 
French. 

Albany  

Dutch  Calvinist 

Dutch  Lutheran 

Scanecthade 

Dr.  Dellius. 

A   Dutch    minister   sent 
for. 

400  or  500   Dutch, 
all  Calvinists,  ex- 
cept 12  or  14  Lu- 
therans. 

This  gives  a  complete  view  of  the  condition  of  the  prov- 
ince as  to  religious  privileges,  and  an  approximate  view 
of  the  strength  of  the  religious  bodies  when  the  attempt 
to  impose  a  church  establishment  of  the  minority  on  the 
colony  was  made.  According  to  this  table  the  population 
would  be  distributed  about  as  follows : 


no  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chai>.  iii. 

Families. 

Dutch I> 754 

Dissenters  (English) Ij355 

French 261 

Lutherans 45 

Episcopalians 90 

Jews 20 

Total 3,525 

By  allowing  six  to  a  family,  which  the  baptismal  records 
would  show  to  be  a  very  low  estimate,  the  population 
would  be  not  less  than  twenty-one  thousand.  It  was 
probably  considerably  more. 

But  the  people  were  not  deceived  as  to  the  real  purpose 
of  the  government  to  establish  a  church  foreign  to  the  be- 
liefs and  wishes  of  almost  the  whole  population.  The 
Dutch  church  of  the  city  of  New  York — consisting,  with 
the  French,  of  nearly  seven  hundred  families  out  of  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-five — early  began  operations  to  fore- 
stall these  efforts.  In  December,  1686 — the  very  year  in 
which  James  became  king  and  repealed  the  Charter  of 
Liberties — they  prepared  a  petition  to  the  mayor  of  the 
city  to  be  allowed  to  build  a  church,  and  asked  for  the 
grant  of  a  piece  of  land.  They  were  yet  worshiping  in 
the  fort.  For  some  reason  this  petition  was  never  pre- 
sented. On  April  4,  1688,  they  petitioned  Governor  Don- 
gan  for  a  charter,  as  they  could  not  raise  money  to  buy 
land  unless  they  were  incorporated  ;  but  their  petition  was 
rejected.  Nevertheless  they  purchased  the  Garden  Street 
lot  in  1692,  and  at  once  began  the  building  of  a  church. 
It  was  located  on  what  are  now  41-51  Exchange  Place, 
between  William  and  Broad  Streets.  The  land  was,  at  the 
time,  a  peach-orchard  of  the  widow  of  Domine  Drisius. 
The  building  was  of  brick,  with  stone  trimmings,  and  the 
usual  heavy,  square  Dutch  tower  projecting  from  the  front. 


'    THE    GARDEN  STREET  CHURCH.  1 1  I 

Over  the  entrance  was  the  usual  Consistory  room,  and  a 
belfry  above.  It  had  three  windows  on  either  side,  long 
and  somewhat  narrow,  with  small  panes,  in 'which  were 
burned  \X\&  Anns  oi  the  principal  supporters  of  the  church, 
and  there  were  also  escutcheons  of  the  leading  families  upon 
the  walls.  The  silver- toned  bell  of  the  old  church  in  the 
fort  was  transferred  to  the  belfry  of  the  new,  together  with 
the  pulpit  and  other  furniture.  In  1694  the  people  brought 
their  silver  coin  and  ornaments  as  oflferings,  and  these  were 
sent  to  Amsterdam  and  hammered  into  a  massive  baptismal 
bowl  by  the  skilled  artisans  of  that  city.  This  bowl,  with 
its  quaint  inscription,  now  belongs  to  the  South  Church, 
corner  of  Thirty-eighth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue. 

Now  it  was  while  this  church  was  in  course  of  erection 
that  the  Ministry  Act  was  passed.  Domine  Selyns  was 
not  by  any  means  satisfied  with  the  legal  status  of  his 
church.  Her  privileges  might  at  any  time  be  destroyed. 
The  Consistory  sought  legal  advice  as  to  their  right  to 
possess  a  charter.  This  was  favorable.  On  April  18, 
1695,  they  again  petitioned  for  a  charter,  but  it  was  un- 
successful. On  June  19th  the  petition  was  renewed,  but 
without  success.  But  on  May  11,  1696,  the  charter  was 
signed.  This  was  not  accomplished,  however,  except 
through  the  presentation  of  a  considerable  service  of 
plate  ^  to  the  pious  governor.  Since  it  is  the  first  church 
charter  in  New  York,  it  possesses  considerable  interest. 
We  give  a  brief  synopsis : 

THE    FIRST    CHURCH    CHARTER    IN    NEW    YORK. 

Beginning  with  the  name  and  title  of  the  king — "  Wil- 
liam the  Third,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  England, 
France  and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith  " — it  refers  to 

1  "  Col,  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  pp.  427,  463,  etc. 


112  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  in. 

the  petition  of  the  church  to  Governor  Fletcher  for  a 
charter,  that  they  might  hold  their  property  securely.  The 
five  separate  pieces  of  property  owned  by  the  church  are 
then  minutely  described :  (i)The  church  lot  and  cemetery 
on  the  north  side  of  Garden  Street  (now  Exchange  Place), 
184  feet  front  and  84  feet  deep ;  (2)  another  lot,  partly  ad- 
joining, on  the  northwest;  (3)  a  lot  on  Beaver  Street;  (4) 
the  manor  of  Fordham,  north  of  the  Harlem  River,  and 
stretching  from  the  Hudson  River  to  the  Bronx  River;  (5) 
a  piece  of  meadow  in  the  Harlem  River,  and  near  said 
manor.  Then  the  petition  asking  for  a  charter  is  again 
referred  to,  and  the  reasons  are  given  for  granting  said 
charter:  "  Now  know  ye,  That  in  consideration  thereof,  as 
well  as  we  being  willing  in  particular  favor  to  the  pious 
purposes  of  our  said  loving  subjects,  and  to  secure  them 
and  their  successors  in  the  free  exercise  and  enjoyment  of 
all  their  civil  and  religious  rights  appertaining  unto  them 
in  manner  aforesaid  as  our  loving  subjects,  and  to  preserve 
to  them  and  their  successors  that  liberty  of  worshiping  God 
according  to  the  constitutions  and  directions  of  the  Re- 
formed Churches  in  Holland,  approved  and  established  by 
the  National  Synod  of  Dort,  have  therefore  thought  fit, 
and  do  hereby  publish,  grant,  ordain,  and  declare,  That 
our  royal  will  and  pleasure  is,  that  no  person  in  commun- 
ion of  the  said  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  within 
our  said  city  of  New  York,  at  any  time  hereafter,  shall  be 
in  any  ways  molested,  punished,  disquieted,  or  called  in 
question  for  any  difference  in  opinion  in  matters  of  the 
Protestant  religion,  who  do  not  actually  disturb  the  civil 
peace  of  our  said  province ;  but  that  all  and  every  person 
and  persons  in  communion  of  the  said  Reformed  Protestant 
Dutch  Church,  may  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times 
hereafter,  freely  and  fully  have  and  enjoy  his  and  their 
own  judgments  and  consciences  in  matters  of  the  Protest- 


FIRST  CHURCH  CHARTER. 


113 


ant  religious  concernments  of  the  said  Reformed  Protest- 
ant Dutch  Church,  according  to  the  Constitutions  and  di- 
rections aforesaid,  they  behaving  themselves  peaceably  and 
quietly,  and  not  using  this  liberty  to  licentiousness  and  pro- 
faneness,  nor  to  the  civil  injury  or  outward  disturbance 
of  others,  any  law,  statute,  usage,  or  custom  of  our  realm 
of  England,  or  of  this  our  province  to  the  contrary  hereof 
in  any  ways  notwithstanding."  The  church  building  and 
cemetery  are  then  confirmed  unto  the  sole  "  use  and  be- 
half of  the  members  of  the  said  Dutch  Church  "  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  Rev.  Henry  Selyns,  with  Nicholas  Bay- 
ard, Stephen  Cortlandt,  William  Beeckman,  Joannes  Ker- 
byle,  elders ;  and  Joannes  de  Peyster,  Jacobus  Kipp,  Isaac 
de  Forest,  and  Isaac  de  Reymer,  deacons,  are  then  named 
as  the  first  incorporators;  "  and  all  such  others  as  now  are 
or  hereafter  shall  be  admitted  into  the  communion  of  the 
said  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  in  our  said  city 
of  New  York,  shall  be  from  time  to  time,  and  at  all  times 
forever  hereafter,  a  body  politic  and  corporate  in  fact  and 
name."  The  usual  legal  rights  and  responsibilities  are 
then  referred  to.  The  yearly  limit  of  income  is  fixed  at 
^^"200.  It  is  then  declared  "  that  the  patronage,  advow- 
son,  donation,  or  presentation  of  and  to  the  said  Church, 
after  the  decease  of  the  said  first  minister,  or  next  avoid- 
ance thereof,  shall  appertain  and  belong  to,  and  be  hereby 
vested  in  the  Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  said  Reformed 
Protestant  Dutch  Church  and  their  successors  forever, 
provided  always  that  all  the  succeeding  ministers,  that 
shall  be  by  them  presented,  collated,  instituted,  and  in- 
ducted "  shall  be  loyal,  etc.  The  Consistory  may  demise 
or  lease  their  property  for  a  term  "  of  fifteen  years  upon  a 
reasonable  improved  rent,  without  taking  any  fine  for  the 
same."  They  may  also,  "  with  the  consent  and  advice  of 
the  members  in  full  communion  of  the  said  church,  make 


114  ^-^^  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chai>.  in. 

rates  and  assessments  upon  all  and  every  of  the  members 
in  communion  "  for  meeting  expenses.  The  name  of  the 
church  was  to  be  "  The  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church 
of  the  City  of  New  York,  .  .  .  To  be  holden  of  us,  our 
heirs  and  successors  in  free  and  common  socage  as  of  our 
Manor  of  East  Greenwich  in  our  county  of  Kent,  within 
our  realm  of  England,"  paying  unto  us,  on  the  last  day 
of  the  annunciation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  an- 
nual rent  of  twelve  shillings.  The  usual  legal  ending  of 
such  documents  then  follows.  "  Dated  6th  May,  1696."  ^ 
(Patents  7,  p.  25,  etc.) 

LETTER    OF    SELYNS. 

Domine  Selyns,  in  writing  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam 
(September  30,  1696),  after  referring  to  his  yearly  letters,  to 
which  he  has  received  no  reply  in  two  or  three  years,  say- 
ing that  the  replies  have  probably  -^been  captured  by  the 
French;  and  having  also  referred  to  the  arrival  of  Domines 
Nucella  and  Lupardus,  says:  "Our  number  is  now^  full, 
consisting  of  five  Dutch  Reformed  ministers:  myself  at 
New  York,  Dellius  at  Albany,  Nucella  at  Kingston,  Lu- 
pardus on  Long  Island,  and  Bertholf  in  New  Jersey.  The 
Lord  grant  that  this  ministry  may  pro\'e  eflFectual  to  the 
conversion  of  sinners  in  this  far-distant  West!"  He  then 
continues  in  reference  to  the  charter : 

"  My  Consistory  and  I  have  for  a  long  time  labored  and 
taken  much  pains  to  obtain  certain  privileges  for  our  Re- 
formed Church  here.  These  we  have  now  obtained  by  a 
favorable  document,  confirmed  with  the  King's  Seal,  en- 
titled, '  The  Charter  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch 
Church  in  the  City  of  New  York,'  granted  A.D.,  1696. 
Its  contents  are  in  respect  to  the  power  of  calling  one  or 

1  The  Ministry  Act  of  1693  was  not  approved  until  May  11,  1696. 


CONDITION  OF   THE    CHURCH.       '  115 

more  ministers,  of  choosing  elders,  deacons,  chorister,  sex- 
ton, etc.,  and  of  erecting  Dutch  schools,  all  in  conformity 
to  the  Church  Order  of  the  Synod  of  Dort;  also  the  right 
of  possessing  a  parsonage  and  other  Church  property,  and 
to  hold  them  in  a  corporate  capacity,  without  alienation. 
Also  of  receiving  legacies  and  donations  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Church,  etc.,  etc.  This  is  a  circumstance  which  prom- 
ises much  advantage  to  God's  Church,  and  quiets  the  for- 
merly existing  uneasiness." 

After  referring  to  the  more  regular  payment  of  his  sal- 
ary lately,  he  adds :  "  In  the  country  places  here,  there  are 
many  English  preachers,  mostly  from  New  England.  They 
were  ordained  there,  having  been  in  a  large  measure  sup- 
plied by  the  University  of  Cambridge.  In  July  last  there 
were  ten  graduated  in  philosophy  and  eight  in  higher 
studies.  In  the  two  English  churches  built,  or  in  course 
of  building  (since  the  building  of  our  new  church),  there 
are  two  Episcopal  ministers.  They  temporarily  preach  in 
our  church,  and  with  them  we  live  in  most  friendly  rela- 
tions. Domine  Daille,  recently  a  French  minister  here, 
has  been  called  to  Boston,  and  ministers  in  the  French 
church  there.  Domine  Perrot  [Peiret],  a  man  of  great 
learning,  formerly  a  minister  in  France,  serves  the  church 
of  God  here,  and  Domine  Morpe  [?]  in  the  adjoining 
places  in  the  country.  Domine  Brodet  [Bondet],  who 
was  formerly  professor  at  Saumur,  and  who  lived  among 
the  Indians  and  preached  to  them  for  eight  years,  is  at 
New  Rochelle,^  twenty  miles  from  here,  and  is  very  useful 
by  his  ministerial  gifts  and  holy  Hfe."  After  referring  to 
the  corruption  of  morals  caused  by  the  war,  and  the  at- 
tempted invasion  of  the  French  from  Canada,  he  contin- 
ues: "Our  city  is  extending;   large  houses  are  erected, 

1  In  1709  Bondet  and  his  church  at  New  Rochelle  conformed  to  the 
Church  of  England. 


Il6  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  iii. 

and  the  shores  are  docked  in.  Since  my  last  coming  here 
[1660-64],  the  city,  houses,  and  inhabitants  have  increased 
fully  two  thirds." 

Selyns  now  felt  that  the  liberty  of  the  Dutch  Church 
was  secure.  Other  Dutch  churches  throughout  New  York 
and  New  Jersey  from  time  to  time  demanded  charters  and 
obtained  them,  but  this  right  was  denied  to  all  other  de- 
nominations except  the  Episcopalian.  Certain  individuals 
now  presented  a  petition,  on  May  6,  1697,  ^^^  ^  charter 
for  Trinity  Church.  These  were  not  the  legally  elected 
churchwardens  and  vestrymen,  but  Caleb  Heathcote  and 
others.-^  They  styled  themselves  "the  present  managers  of 
the  affairs  of  the  Church  of  England  in  New  York."  On 
the  same  day  in  which  the  petition  was  presented  the  charter 
was  signed.  The  petition  declares  that  the  Ministry  Act 
established  the  Church  of  England,  and  asks  for  the  al- 
lowance referred  to  therein.  The  wisdom  of  the  Dutch 
in  securing  their  charter  so  soon  as  they  did  is  seen  in  the 
character  of  the  charter  now  granted  to  Trinity  Church. 
We  give  a  few  extracts. 

This  charter  first  declares  that  the  Ministry  Act  of  1693 
establishes  the  Church  of  England  ;  and  this  statement  is 
repeated  no  less  than  twelve  times  in  this  instrument.  It 
declares  that  at  the  time  of  the  passage  of  the  Ministry 
Act  there  was  no  church  "  whereunto  such  a  good  suffi- 
cient Protestant  minister  might  have  been  inducted  for  his 
officiating  of  his  duty  in  the  public  worship  and  service  of 
God,  according  to  the  rights  and  ceremonies  of  our  Protest- 
ant Church  of  England  established  by  our  laws."  It  re- 
fers to  the  contributions  of  Fletcher  and  others  for  the 
erection  of  a  church,  "  that  tlie  public  worship  ...  of 
God  .   .   .   might    be    more    orderly    and    reverendly  per- 

1  See  Petition  in  "  Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  248,  4to  ed. 


TRINITY'S   CHARTER.  II7 

formed."  It  asks  that  tlie  church  in  course  of  erection, 
and  the  churchyard,  310  feet  on  the  Broadway,  and  395 
feet  along  the  Hudson  River,  might  be  confirmed  unto 
them  ;  and  that  the  ;^ioo  which  the  Ministry  Act  provides 
for  might  be  appropriated  to  said  church,  and  that  the 
adjacent  land  might  be  given  in  trust  to  the  same.  The 
charter  then  declares  that  the  said  church  and  ground  shall 
be  the  parish  church.  The  Bishop  of  London  ^  is  made  the 
first  rector,  and  his  successors  are  to  be  the  rectors  of  said 
church ;  and  the  said  rector,  "  with  the  Inhabitants  in 
communion  of  the  Church  of  England  as  now  established 
by  our  laws,"  are  made  a  body  corporate  and  politic. 
"  The  patronage,  advowson,  donation,  or  presentation  of 
or  to  the  said  rectory  and  parish,  after  the  decease  of  the 
said  first  rector,  or  the  next  avoidance  thereof,  shall  .  .  . 
belong  ...  to  the  churchwardens  and  vestrymen,  .  .  . 
and  all  succeeding  rectors  .  .  .  shall  be  presented,  collated, 
instituted,  and  inducted  as  other  rectors  .  .  .  are  accus- 
tomed to  be."  The  rector,  with  the  advice  of  the  vestry- 
men and  churchwardens,  shall  from  time  to  time  "  nomi- 
nate one  able  Protestant  minister,  in  priest's  orders,  to  reside 
in  said  parish,  to  be  preacher  and  assistant  to  the  said 
rector  and  his  successors."  The  churchwardens  and  ves- 
trymen are  authorized  to  "  tax,  rate,  and  assess  the  yearly 
sum  of  ;^30  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  parish,  in  com- 
munion as  aforesaid,  for  the  payment  of  the  preacher's 
assistant  and  other  exj^enses."  The  said  church  is  declared 
to  be  the  only  parish  church  of  our  city  of  New  York, 
and  "  the  said  rector  of  the  said  parish  is  a  good  sufficient 
Protestant  minister,  according  to  the  true  intent  and  mean- 
ing of  the  said  Act  of  Assembly  "  of  1693  ;  and  the  yearly 
maintenance  of  i^ioo  authorized  by  said  act  must  be  paid 
to  him,  under  the  penalties  therein  contained.  If  the  said 
1  Dr.  Henry  Compton. 


Il8  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  hi. 

vestrymen  and  churchwardens  fail  or  refuse  to  raise  said 
money,  they  may  be  prosecuted  by  the  said  rector  there- 
for. "  And  we  further  declare  it  to  be  our  royal  will  and 
pleasure  that  nothing  herein  contained,  nor  any  clause  or 
article  herein  above  mentioned,  shall  be  construed  or  taken 
to  abridge  or  take  away  any  right,  privilege,  benefit,  lib- 
erty, or  license  that  we  have  heretofore  granted  unto  any 
church  in  communion  of  our  Protestant  faith,  within  our 
said  province  of  New  York,  anything  contained  herein  to 
the  contrary  hereof  in  any  ways  notwithstanding.  6  May, 
1697."     (Patents  7,  p.  82,  etc.) 

Says  Bishop  Perry  :^  "  It  is  even  now  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise that  this  act,  .  .  .  establishing  the  church  in  the  city 
of  New  York  against  the  evident  intent  and  will  of  the 
Assembly,  should  have  been  carried  through  without 
eliciting  a  protest.  .  .  .  By  the  tacit  consent  of  the  gov- 
ernor, and  evidently  without  questioning  on  the  part  of 
those  concerned,  the  churchwardens  and  vestrymen  to  be 
elected  by  the  freeholders  of  the  city  in  accordance  with 
the  act  of  the  Assembly  of  1693  were  superseded  by,  and 
found  their  powers  vested  in,  the  churchwardens  and  ves- 
trymen of  Trinity  Church,  elected  by  those  in  communion 
with  the  Church  of  England  alone." 

Tiie  fact  is,  the  Assembly,  being  mostly  Dutch,  were  so 
rejoiced  over  their  own  charter  that  they  did  not  oppose 
any  of  these  claims  now  made  in«the  charter  of  Trinity 
Church. 

The  adjacent  land  asked  for  in  the  above  charter  was 
the  "  king's  farm,"  which  was  leased  by  the  governor  on 


1  Bishop  Perry's  "  Ilist.  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Ch.,"  voh  i.,  p.  162;  vol.  ii., 
p.  474. 


THE   "KING'S  farm:'  II9 

August  1 7,  1 697,  to  Trinity  Church  for  seven  years.^  This 
plot  lay  between  Fulton  and  Chambers  Streets,  Broadway 
and  the  North  River. 

Originally  it  had  been  known  as  the  "  West  India  Com- 
pany's farm,"  which  was  tilled  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
pany's servants.  Upon  the  English  conquest  it  became 
the  property  of  the  Duke  of  York,  and  was  known  as  the 
"duke's  farm."  North  of  this,  and  extending  to  Chris- 
topher Street,  was  the  domine's  bouwerie  or  farm.  This 
was  originally  conveyed  by  Governor  Van  Twiller  to  Roe- 
lofT  Jansen,  and  is  the  celebrated  Anneke  Jans  property. 
It  was  confirmed  to  her  (then  the  .widow  of  Domine  Bo- 
gardus)  in  1654  by  Peter  Stuyvesant.  Subsequently,  by 
purchase  of  the  heirs  of  Anneke  Jans,  or  otherwise,  the 
"  duke's  farm  "  was  extended  over  the  domine's  bouwerie.  In 
1685  all  this  property  became  known  as  the  "  king's  farm," 
when  the  duke  became  king.  With  the  accession  of  Queen 
Anne  (1702)  it  was  called  the  "queen's  farm."  The  gover- 
nors enjoyed  the  benefit  of  it.  But  Fletcher's  lease  of  this 
property  to  Trinity  Church  was  one  of  the  complaints 2 
which  was  subsequently  urged  against  him.  It  was  said 
that  this  lease  deprived  future  governors  of  many  conven- 
iences. Fletcher  defends  himself^  by  saying  that  a  lease 
of  twenty  years  granted  by  Andros  (1677-97)  had  just  ex- 
pired, under  a  nominal  rent  of  sixty  bushels  of  wheat ;  that 
he  was  offered  i^200  for  a  lease  of  it,  but  refused.  "  But 
inasmuch  as  a  church  was  then  building  for  the  English 
part  of  the  Colony,  and  of  which  it  was  destitute  before 
my  time ;  I  did,  for  incouragement  of  that  worke,  grant  a 
lease  thereof  to  the  Church  Wardens;  it  was  without  fine, 
at  the  old  reserved  rent,  and  only  for  seaven  years.     But 

1  Council  "Journal,"  pp.  235,  240.     Confirmed,  1709,  p.  239. 

2  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  434.  3  Jliid.,  vol.  iv.,  p.  448. 


I20  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  in. 

if  building  churches  be  a  crime,  I  shall  take  warning"  how 
I  build  any  more.  I  will  only  add  that  as  I  never  took 
one  acre  of  land  for  myself  or  children,  so  had  I  never  any 
reward  for  any  that  was  granted." 

On  January  8,  1698  (1699),  Weaver,  the  agent  of  the 
government,  writes : ""  "  The  King's  farm  was  leased  out 
by  Colonel  Fletcher  even  when  my  Lord  Bellomont  was 
known  to  be  on  his  voyage  to  New  Yorke,  as  most  of  the 
other  great  grants  were  after  the  Earl's  designation  to  the 
government.  Colonel  Fletcher  assumes  the  glory  of  build- 
ing churches,  which  never  was  imputed  to  him  as  a  crime, 
if  it  was  true;  but  the  Church  of  New  York  was  not  built 
by  him,  but  by  a  contribution  of  several  even  of  the  French 
and  Dutch  churches,  as  well  as  English,  and  an  allowance 
of  ^100  per  annum  given  to  an  English  minister  by  an  act 
of  the  country,  which  is  levied,  the  greater  part  of  it,  on 
Dutch  and  French  inhabitants.  Therefore  there  was  no 
necessity  to  lease  the  King's  farm  to^the  Church-Wardens 
(which  Fletcher  did  just  before  Bellomorit  arrived),  nor  to 
call  this  lease  a  building  of  churches,  and  make  that  the  pre- 
tense of  hindering  a  succeeding  Governor  from  the  bene- 
ficial use  of  the  farm  for  the  conveniency  of  his  family." 

In  1699  the  Assembly  vacated  the  lease;  but  Cornbury, 
a  few  years  later,  urged  the  Assembly  to  make  a  perma- 
nent grant  of  the  "queen's  farm"  to  Trinity  Church.  In  1702 
Queen  Anne,  by  letters  patent,  gave  said  farm  to  Trinity 
Church.  There  were  legal  difficulties  after  this  which  we 
cannot  follow. 

The  last  sentence  of  Trinity's  charter  undoubtedly  re- 
fers to  the  special  rights  granted  to  the  Dutch  church  in 
the  preceding  year,  as  there  was  no  other  body  to  which 
it  could  apply.     But  the  charter  of  Trinity  Church  practi- 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  pp.  462,  463,  490;  vol.  v.,  pp.  23,  390,  etc. 


CHRISTIAN  COURTESY.  121 

cally  failed  to  accomplish  the  objects  attempted,  and  sub- 
sequent legislation  was  sought,  especially  in  i  704,  to  remedy 
the  defect,  if  possible  (which  see  below). 

But  during  all  this  time  a  spirit  of  Christian  courtesy 
prevailed  between  the  Dutch  and  English  clergymen.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Vesey,  the  first  minister  of  Trinity  Church,  was 
inducted  into  office  on  Christmas  day  (1697),  ^^  the  Dutch 
church  in  Garden  Street.  On  that  occasion  Rev.  Mr. 
Selyns,  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Nucella,  of  Kingston, 
bore  a  principal  part  in  the  services.  Mr.  Vesey  subse- 
quently officiated  in  the  Dutch  church,  alternately  with 
the  Dutch  clergyman,  until  March  13,  1698,  when  the 
building  of  Trinity  Church  was  completed.  This  courtesy 
was  returned  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  Middle 
Dutch  Church  was  then  desecrated  by  British  soldiery,  and 
the  vestry  of  Trinity  passed  the  following  resolution  in 
1779:  "It  being  represented  that  the  old  Dutch  Church 
is  now  used  as  a  hospital  for  his  Majesty's  troops,  this 
corporation,  impressed  with  a  grateful  remembrance  of  the 
former  kindness  of  the  members  of  that  ancient  church,  do 
ofifer  the  use  of  St.  George's  Church  to  that  congregation 
for  celebrating  divine  worship."     The  offer  was  accepted. 1 

Many  charges  were  made  against  Fletcher,  especially 
respecting  large  land  grants,  and  he  was  therefore  recalled 
in  1698.  Bellomont,  his  successor,  disapproved  of  Fletch- 
er's scheme  for  "  settling  a  ministry."  Writing  to  the  Lords 
of  Trade  on  June  22,  1698,  he  says: 2 

"  The  late  Governor  made  advantage  to  divide  the  people 
by  supposing  a  Dutch  and  English  interest  to  be  different 
here,  and  therefore,  under  the  notion  of  a  Church  of  Eng- 
land, to  be  put  in  opposition  to  the  Dutch  and  French 

1  Brodhead's  "  New  York,"  vol.  i.,  p.  119. 

2  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  325. 


122  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  in. 

churches  established  here,  he  supported  a  few  rascally 
English  who  are  a  scandall  to  their  nation  and  the  Protest- 
ant religion,  and  who  joined  with  him  in  the  worst  methods 
of  gaine  and  severely  used  the  Dutch,  except  some  few 
Merchants,  whose  trade  he  favored,  who  ought  to  have  an 
equal  benefit  of  the  English  Govern^,  who  are  most  hearty 
for  his  present  Maj'y,  and  are  a  sober,  industrious  people, 
and  obedient  to  Govern'^." 

But  Bellomont  was  also  opposed  to  the  charter  of  the 
Dutch  church.  Again  writing  to  the  Lords  of  Trade ^ 
(November  i,  1698),  he  says: 

"  There  goes  with  this  a  copy  of  a  charter  granted  by 
Colonel  Fletcher  to  the  Dutch  Church  here,  which  I  think 
very  extraordinary,  for  it  is  setting  up  a  petty  jurisdiction 
to  fly  in  the  face  of  the  government,  as  I  have  found  in  my 
own  experience ;  for  being  told  that  Colonel  Fletcher  had 
a  bribe  -  for  passing  this  charter,  I  sent  to  the  Church- 
Masters  (so  called  by  the  Dutch),  which  I  suppose  are 
equivalent  to  our  Church-Wardens,  for  a  sight  of  their 
Church  Book,  wherein  I  was  told  I  should  find  an  entry 
made  of  the  said  bribe.  The  Church- Masters  told  me  they 
could  not  consent  to  my  seeing  the  book  till  they  had  spoke 
to  the  minister,  Mr.  Selynus;  then  I  sent  them  to  Mr.  Sel- 
ynus  to  desire  he  would  let  me  have  a  sight  of  it ;  to  which 
he  returned  answer  he  could  not  do  it,  till  he  had  called  a 
Consistory.  This  behaviour  of  theirs  I  confesse  provoked 
me,  and  I  did  resolve  to  have  a  sight  of  the  booke,  tho'  I 
should  send  a  Constable  with  my  warrant  to  bring  it  by 
force ;  but  I  thought  it  best  to  try  fair  means,  and  I  sent 
to  speak  with  Mr.  Selynus,  and  by  speaking  him  fair,  I  did 
prevail  to  see  the  Church  Book,  out  of  which  I  have  copied 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  pp.  427,  463. 

2  Council  "Journal"  (1703),  p.  206,  the  queen  forbids  any  presents  to 
be  given  to  the  governors. 


BILL   L'OK   A    DISSENTING   MINISTRY.  123 

the  entry  of  the  said  present.  The  charter  goes  (No.  8) 
and  the  extract  out  of  the  Church-Book  is  (No.  9)." 

In  April,  1699,  the  civil  and  military  ofificers  of  Queens 
County  presented  a  petition  to  the  Assembly  respecting 
the  support  of  a  dissenting  ministry.  A  favorable  report 
on  the  petition  was  made,  and  a  bill  was  accordingly  pre- 
pared. An  amendment  was  proposed  :  ^  "  That  this  Act  nor 
any  clause  therein  contained,  shall  extend  to  ye  hindrance 
of  ye  Dutch  and  French  churches  establisht  in  this  Prov- 
ince, nor  constrain  ye  Citty  of  New  York,  3^6  Citty  of  Al- 
bany, ye  County  of  Ulster  or  Kings  County  to  call  any 
other  ministers  unless  at  their  pleasure."  The  council 
suggested  its  rejection  because  of  the  nature  of  the  king's 
Instructions  to  Bellomont  relating  to  the  settlement  of 
religion.  But  the  council  proposed  to  join  with  the  As- 
sembly in  an  address  to  the  king  to  allow  an  assessment 
for  the  support  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Independent  min- 
isters "  untill  some  better  order  can  be  in  this  province  had 
for  the  settlement  of  a  more  orthodox  Ministry."  In  this 
Bellomont  did  not  quite  come  up  to  his  former  convictions 
respecting  Fletcher's  conduct. 

Bellomont  himself  writes  on  July  22,  1699,  to  the  Lords 
of  Trade  on  this  matter  i^  "  The  House  of  Representatives 
sent  up  a  Bill  to  me  and  the  Councill  for  settling  a  Dis- 
senting Ministry  in  that  Province,  but  it  being  contrary  to 
his  Majesty's  instructions,  and  besides  having  been  credibly 
informed  that  some  of  those  ministers  do  hold  strange 
erronious  opinions  in  matters  of  Faith  and  Doctrine,  I 
would  not  give  the  Assent  to  that  Bill,  but  rejected  it." 

This  was  a  great  disappointment  to  that  people.  Bello- 
mont was,  however,  more  liberal  than  most  of  the  gover- 
nors.    Yet  the  great  discrepancy  in  numbers  between  the 

1  Council  "Journal,"  pp.  138,  139. 

2  "  Col,  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  536. 


124  ^^^  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chai-.  iii. 

non-episcopal  churches  and  the  Church  of  England  is  seen 
from  the  following  table  of  the  churches  for  the  year  1 700  : 

Presbyi'erian. 

Reformed  Dutch 29 

"         French 4 

' '         German i 

Presbyterian 9 

~     43 
Miscellaneous. 

Independents 4 

Lutheran 2 

Episcopalian i 

7 
50 

The  Ministry  Act  proved  to  be  inefficient  for  the  Church 
of  England,  which  it  never  intended  to  establish.  Supple- 
mentary acts  were  passed.  In  i  703  Cornbury  secured  an 
act^  adding  ^60  to  the  ;^ioo  mentioned  in  the  Ministry  Act, 
and  which  had  been  appropriated  to  the  rector  of  Trinity 
Church  by  its  charter.  In  1704  another  act-  was  passed 
"  granting  sundry  priviledges  and  powers  to  the  Rector 
and  Inhabitants  of  the  City  of  New  Yorke  of  the  Com- 
munion of  the  Church  of  England  as  by  law  established." 
This  was  not  an  amendment  to  the  charter  of  Trinity 
Church,  but  it  was  intended  to  facilitate  the  designs  of 
that  charter.      Cornbury  thus  refers  to  this  act: 

"  The  reason  for  my  ascenting  to  the  first  of  these  Acts 
is  because  the  Rector  and  Vestry  of  Trinity  Church  have 
a  charter  from  Coll.  Fletcher,  when  he  was  Gov  here,  and 
they  have  been  told  that  charter  is  defective ;  so  they  ap- 
plyed  to  me  for  one  that  might  be  more  sufficient.     I  told 

1  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  1064;  vol.  vi.,  p.  2;  Council  "Journal," 
pp.  199,  204,  213. 

^  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  pp.  1 1 14,  1 115;  Council  "Journal,"  p.  220. 


AMENDMENTS    TO    THE   MINISTRY  ACT.  125 

them  that  I  did  not  perceive  by  my  Commission  I  have 
any  power  to  grant  Charters  of  incorporation,  and  that  I 
would  not  venture  to  do  it  without  such  a  power;  some 
time  afterward  they  came  to  me  again,  and  desired  I  would 
give  them  leave  to  ofifer  a  Bill  to  the  General  Assembly  to 
be  passed  into  an  Act  for  settling  the  Church  ;  I  told  them 
I  did  consent  to  it,  because  by  that  means  the  Queen  would 
have  the  matter  fairly  before  her,  and  I  most  humbly  in- 
treat  Your  Lordpps  favorable  representation  of  that  Act  to 
her  Majesty  that  it  may  be  confirmed." 

At  the  opening  of  the  Assembly  in  1705  Governor 
Cornbury  said  •}  "  The  difficulties  which  some  very  worthy 
ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  have  met  with  in  get- 
ting the  maintenance  settled  upon  them  by  the  Act  of  1693, 
moves  me  to  propose  to  you  the  passing  of  an  Act  Ex- 
planatory of  the  forementioned  Act,  that  those  worthy 
good  men,  who  have  ventured  to  come  so  far  for  the  ser- 
vice of  God  in  his  church,  and  the  good  and  edification  of 
the  people  to  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  may  not  for  the 
future  be  vexed,  as  some  of  them  have  been,  but  may  en- 
joy in  quiet  that  maintenance  which  was  by  law  provided 
for  them."  A  Supplementary  Act"  was  accordingly  passed, 
but  it  failed  to  come  up  to  the  desires  of  the  governor. 

The  inoperative  character  of  these  acts  upon  the  Dutch 
may  be  seen  from  a  statement  of  Domine  Ritzema  in  1 765. 
Says  he :  "  Our  Netherlandish  Church  has  always  been  re- 
garded by  the  Episcopalians  as  a  National  Church,  and  for 
that  reason  held  in  esteem  ;  and  the  kings  have  always 
provided  our  churches  with  charters,  not  only  to  manage 
their  affairs  according  to  the  Netherlandish  Constitution 
established  in  the  Synod  of  Dort,  but  also  as  a  body  cor- 

1  Council  "Journal,"  pp.  225,  226,  231. 

2  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  1114.  "  Laws  of  New  York,"  ch.  146;  the 
preamble  says  the  Ministry  Act  of  1693  has  caused  many  disputes.  See  also 
"  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  pp.  1 167,  1 168;   vol.  vi.,  p.  2. 


126  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  hi. 

porate,  to  have  and  to  hold  the  property  belonging  thereto, 
which  is  denied  to  all  other  churches." 

Later  governors  down  to  the  Revolution  generally  took 
the  same  false  view  of  the  Ministry  Act,  namely,  that  it 
established  the  Church  of  England.  The  "Journal  "  of  the 
governor  and  his  council  shows  that  there  were  frequent 
attempts  made  in  the  Assembly  to  repeal  the  Ministry  Act 
because  of  its  perversion.  These  efforts  continued  down 
to  1 776.^  But  these  bills  were  either  vetoed  or  smothered 
by  the  governor  and  council.  Committees  of  the  Assembly 
were  repeatedly  sent  to  the  governor  to  inquire  what  had 
become  of  these  bills.  References  are  too  numerous  to 
give.^ 

The  feeling  of  the  Dutch  portion  of  the  community  con- 
cerning not  only  the  Ministry  Act,  but  any  interference  of 
the  governor  in  their  church  affairs,  is  seen  in  the  expression 
of  the  people  on  Long  Island. 

When  in  1 705  Bernardus  Freeman  attempted  to  take 
charge  of  the  churches  on  Long  Island  by  a  license  from 
Governor  Cornbury,  he  was  stoutly  resisted  by  the  people, 
and  his  acts  declared  null  and  void.  In  endeavoring  to 
reconcile  difficulties  which  had  arisen,  they  say : 

"  3^^1y,  That  all  parties  do  consent,  that  no  such  lycence, 
or  the  other  orders  which  the  Lord  Cornbury  has  granted 
to  Mr.  Freeman  whereby  the  Effects  of  the  said  Churches 
at  his  pleasure  were  to  be  delivered  up  to  Mr.  Freeman, 
never  were  nor  yet  are  of  any  force  or  validity  in  the  Dutch 
Churches  of  this  Province,  but  Tended  to  the  ruin  of  the 
liberty  of  the  said  Churches  in  this  Country  ;  That  they  do 
allso  reject  this  Position,  That  all  the  Ecclesiasticall  Ju- 
risdicgon  of  the  Dutch  Churches  in  this  Province  is  wholly 

1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  vii.,  p.  944. 

2  The  "  Journ.-il  "  of  the  Assembly,  as  well  as  that  nf  the  council  (1691- 
1776),  contains  much  interesting  matter  on  this  subject. 


AMERICAN  PARITY  OF   CHURCHES.  127 

in  the  Power  of  the  Gov""  according  to  his  will  and  pleasure, 
That  yet  nevertheless  all  parties  do  firmly  own  that  the 
Dutch  Churches  in  this  Province  are  accountable  to  the 
Govt  for  their  peaceable  and  good  behaviour  in  their  Doc- 
trin,  Disciplin  and  Church  Government ;  that  is  to  say, 
as  farr  as  it  does  consist  with  the  Rules  and  Constitu^ons 
of  their  own  nationall  Church  alwyes  enjoyed  at  New  York, 
as  well  as  they  have  the  right  and  Priviledge  to  be  protected 
by  the  Civill  Gov*  in  the  free  exercise  of  their  Religion  ac- 
cording to  their  own  Constitution." 

In  the  resistance  to  the  collection  of  the  tithe  and  the 
many  lawsuits  which  followed,  it  finally  came  to  be  under- 
stood that  the  ecclesiastical  statutes  of  Great  Britain  had 
no  relation  to  the  colony  of  New  York.^  Even  English 
dissenters  were  under  no  necessity  of  justifying  them- 
selves by  the  Act  of  Toleration  of  1689,  as  Rev.  Francis 
McKemie,  the  first  Presbyterian  minister  in  New  York 
City,  had  done  in  1706.  It  was  America  and  New  York 
in  which  they  lived,  and  legally,  if  the  laws  were  honestly 
interpreted,  there  was  perfect  parity  among  all  Protestant 
bodies.-  Hence  the  Presbyterians  at  Jamaica,  in  1731,  re- 
covered by  a  lawsuit  their  church  property,  which  had  been 
wrested  from  them  in  1 705  by  Governor  Cornbury.^  The 
Ministry  Act,  emasculated  as  it  was  in  its  passage  by  the 
Dutch  Assembly,  was  not  so  directly  detrimental  to  the 
Dutch  Church  as  has  been  generally  supposed;  neverthe- 
less the  patronage  of  the  government  and  social  conditions 

1  Smith's  "  New  York,"  p.  295,  Councilor  West's  opinion;  see  also  pp. 
181,  182.  Cornbury's  opinion,  of  course,  was  of  a  different  kind.  "  Col. 
Docs.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  1 187. 

2  An  act  was  passed  in  1700  against  Jesuits  and  Popish  priests.  "  Doc. 
Hist.,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  713. 

3  "  Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  118-206,  contains  an  elaborate  ac- 
count, though  not  complete,  of  the  contest  about  the  tithe  laws  in  Queens 
County,  N.  Y.  See  also  "Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  v.,  pp.  311-345,  943,  972; 
vol.  vi.,  pp.   I,  8;   vol.  vii.,  p.  497. 


128  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  hi. 

led  many  to  unite  with  the  Church  of  England.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  oppressions  of  Cornbury  led  many  to 
emigrate  to  the  valleys  of  the  Raritan  and  Millstone  in 
New  Jersey.  The  milder  and  more  republican  form  of 
government  in  New  Jersey  was  very  attractive  to  the  older 
colonists  in  both  New  York  and  New  England ;  hence 
that  important  nucleus  of  churches  in  Middlesex,  Somer- 
set, and  Hunterdon  counties,  which  on  account  of  their 
spiritual  prosperity  have  long  been  known  as  the  Garden 
of  the  Dutch  Church.  Here,  too,  were  finally  located  the 
college  and  the  theological  seminary  of  the  denomination. 
Partly  for  the  same  reasons  did  Bergen  County,  in  its 
original  extent,  and  Monmouth  County  receive  consider- 
able increase  to  their  population ;  although  before  this 
Monmouth  had  received  some  original  Dutch  settlers  and 
Bergen  had  received  many  employees  of  the  West  India 
Company  in  reward  for  services. 

The  Dutch  Church  had  passed  through  a  great  struggle 
to  preserve  its  existence.  After  its  victory  in  securing  a 
charter  for  one  of  its  churches,  there  was  comparative 
peace.  Other  Dutch  churches  secured  charters,  and  this 
greatly  embarrassed  the  collection  of  the  church-rates  for 
the  so-called  Established  Church.  Indeed,  the  Ministry 
Act  did  not  serve  any  Episcopal  minister  for  nine  years 
after  its  passage.^  The  English  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  was  deceived  con- 
cerning the  true  design  of  the  act.  Hence  they  often  com- 
plained that  the  clergymen  whom  they  sent  over  were  not 
supported.  But  the  perverted  application  of  the  act  nec- 
essarily made  it  inefficient. 

At  the  end  of  this  prolonged  struggle  against  a  church 
establishment  of  the  minority,  the  thirteen  churches  of 
1664,  without  immigration,  have  increased  to  thirty-four. 
1  "  Col.  Docs.,"  vol.  v.,  p.  328. 


INCREASE   OF   THE    CHURCH.  129 

Twenty- three  new  ministers  have  officiated,  making  thirty- 
eight  in  all  from  the  first  settlement.  Several  of  them  had 
acquired  considerable  facility  in  preaching  to  the  Indians. 
Twelve  were  in  service  in  1705.  Like  their  ancestors  in 
Holland,  they  throve  by  persecution  and  extracted  victory 
from  defeat. 


PERIOD  III. 

STRUGGLE   FOR   ECCLESIASTICAL   INDEPENDENCE 
(1707-1792). 


131 


CHAPTER    IV. 

REVIVAL,   AND    BEGINNINGS    OF   ORGANIZATION — 
SECESSION    AND    STRIFE    (1707-71). 

THE    GENERATION    PRECEDING  THE   COETUS  (1705-47).^ 

This  was  the  most  quiet  and  peaceful  period  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  church  at  large,  although  there  were  some  local 
troubles  which  we  cannot  here  detail.'^  The  privilege  of 
securing  charters  was  a  substantial  triumph.  Opportunity 
was  now  allowed  for  reflection  on  the  past  and  the  devis- 
ing of  plans  for  the  future.  The  true  position  of  the  church 
began  to  be  understood.  Most  of  the  congregations  could 
have  services  only  two  or  three  times  a  year.  The  Eng- 
lish Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  had  begun  its 
labors  in  1701.  It  exerted  a  good  influence  among  the 
Indians.  Several  Dutch  ministers  were  urged  to  serve 
under  its  banner,  and  a  few  finally,  under  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, consented,  but  chiefly  as  missionaries  to  the 
Indians. 

As  early  as  1694  Rev.  Guilliam  Bertholf,  who  had  come 
to  America  several  years  before  as  catechist,  voorleser,  and 
schoolmaster,  and  who  had  become  a  leader  in  the  devo- 
tions of  the  people  at  Hackensack,  was  sent  to  Holland  for 
ordination.  This  was  the  first  example  of  this  custom,  if 
we  except  the  case  of  Samuel  Megapolensis  (1658),  who 

1  See  "  Amsterdam  Correspondence,"  Letters  307-464. 

2  Dispute  on  Long  Island  lietween  the  parties  of  Freeman  and  Antonides  : 
"Doc.  Hist.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  89-115;  Strong's  "  Hist.  Flatbush."  Also  op- 
position to  Frelinghuysen,  1 726-33. 

133 


134  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

was  sent  over  privately  by  his  father.  In  i  709  Rev.  Joseph 
Morgan,  having  come  from  the  CongregationaHsts,  gave 
three  fourths  of  his  time  to  tlie  Dutch  church  in  Mon- 
mouth County,  N.  J.,  and  the  remainder  to  a  Presbyterian 
church,  he  being  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadel- 
phia. The  scarcity  of  ministers,  and  the  expense,  trouble, 
delay,  and  danger  of  procuring  them  from  Holland,  drove 
John  van  Driessen,  with  a  letter  from  Patroon  Van  Rens- 
selaer, to  Yale  College  for  ordination  (1727);  while  Mr. 
Boehme  was  ordained  by  the  ministers  at  New  York  (i  729) 
by  special  permission  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  The 
same  necessity  compelled  the  Classis  to  grant  permission 
(i  736)  to  Domines  Haeghoort  and  Erickzon  to  ordain  John 
Schuyler  to  the  ministry.  But  these  circumstances,  with 
the  necessary  discussion  excited  thereby  and  the  absolute 
necessity  of  preachers,  paved  the  way  for  the  preliminary 
request  of  the  church  for  semi-ecclesiastical  powers  and 
partial  independence. 

It  was  also  in  this  period  that  a  spirit  of  revival  began 
to  show  itself,  about  1730.  The  "Great  Awakening" 
changed  the  character  of  the  whole  American  church.^ 
This  was  a  principal  reason  of  the  desire  for  greater  facili- 
ties to  meet  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people.  These  ne- 
cessities led  to  some  justifiable  ecclesiastical  irregularities. 
It  was  also  in  this  period  that  Rev.  Theodore  J.  Freling- 
huysen  came  to  America,  in  1720,  destined  as  he  was,  in 
himself  and  in  his  family,  to  exert  a  molding  influence 
upon  the  history  of  the  Dutch  Church.  Fighting  with 
formality  and  the  dead  orthodoxy  which  he  found  pre- 
vailing in  his  locality,  caused  by  a  lack  of  gospel  privileges, 
misunderstood  and  persecuted  by  the  people,  he  persevered 

1  See  Tracy's  history  of  "  The  Great  Awakening."  Rev.  Dr.  Messler's 
"  Memorial  Sermons  and  Hist.  Notes  "  (1874)  gives  details  of  the  work  on 
the  Raritan. 


THE  PALATINES.  I  35 

in  preaching  the  truth  until  his  opponents  were  converted.^ 
Large  accessions  to  the  church  crowned  his  labors.  Sev- 
eral extensive  revivals  were  the  result  of  his  ministry. 
Whitefield  and  Jonathan  Edwards  refer  with  commenda- 
tion to  his  zeal  and  success.  He  was  also  the  first  pastor 
of  the  Reformed  Church  who  began  to  train  up  young 
men  for  the  ministry,  and  was,  perhaps,  the  first  minister 
in  favor  of  the  independence  of  the  church  in  America. 
Although  he  helped  to  initiate,  he  did  not  live  to  take  part 
in  the  assemblies  of  the  Coetus ;  but  it  was  largely  owing 
to  his  zeal,  his  foresight,  and  his  persecutions,  with  their 
happy  results,  which  finally  brought  about  the  entire  re- 
organization of  the  Dutch  Church.  He  probably  first 
suggested  a  college  for  the  denomination  in  which  to  train 
up  young  men  for  the  ministry. 

During  this  period  took  place,  also,  a  large  settlement 
of  Germans. 2  In  i  709,  under  the  auspices  of  Queen  Anne, 
four  thousand  Palatines,  driven  out  by  persecution,  em- 
barked for  New  York.  Many  settled  on  the  Livingston 
Manor,  in  Schoharie  County,  and  in  the  valley  of  the 
Mohawk.  Not  a  few  Swiss  were  among  these  emigrants. 
About  I  730  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  took  charge  of  them, 
as  well  as  of  the  thousands  of  Germans  who  settled  in 
Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  ;  and  this  oversight  continued 
until  1793,  when  the  German  Reformed  Church  became 
ecclesiastically  independent.  These  early  Germans  in  New 
York  State  fell  into  the  fold  of  the  Dutch  Church.  In 
Hunterdon  and  neighboring  counties  in  New  Jersey,  the 

1  His  opponents  published  a  complaint  ("  Klagte")  in  1725  against  him, 
in  a  volume  of  150  pages.  This  was  translated  in  1876  by  Rev.  M.  G.  Han- 
sen, and  is  in  the  archives  of  the  General  Synod.  The  translation  makes  323 
pages  of  manuscript.  Peace  was  not  secured  until  the  fall  of  1734.  See 
Letters  448,  449. 

2  For  details,  see  "  Manual  of  Ref.  Church,"  1879,  pp.  25,  26,  68-70, 
and  the  names  of  Goetschey,  Boehme,  Weiss,  Dorsius ;  also  Dr.  Dubbs's 
"  Hist,  of  Ref.  [Ger.]  Ch.  in  U.  S.,"  in  this  volume. 


136  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap,  i v. 

Germans  and  the  Dutch  touched  each  other.  As  early  as 
I  705  Germans  from  Pennsylvania  settled  in  German  Val- 
ley, and  soon  after  Lebanon  and  Amwell  were  settled  by 
them.  Frelinghuysen  in  New  Jersey  and  Dorsius  in  Penn- 
sylvania were  intimate  friends,  and  correspondence  and 
visitations  were  not  altogether  wanting  between  the  Dutch 
and  German  ministers  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

We  can  only  mention  the  names  of  Cornelius  van  Sant- 
voord  and  Bernardus  Freeman,  ministers  who  adorned  this 
period,  as  well  as  that  of  the  excellent  Gualterus  du  Bois, 
with  his  ministry  of  fifty- two  years  in  New  York  City 
(1699-175 1 ).  His  influence  was  ever  exerted  to  concili- 
ate and  heal.  He  was  so  universally  honored  that,  by 
virtue  of  accorded  merit,  he  was,  says  the  historian  Smith, 
more  like  a  bishop  among  the  Dutch  churches  than  the 
pastor  of  a  single  congregation. 

During  the  generation  preceding  the  request  for  a  Coe- 
tus,  the  church,  considering  its  circumstances,  made  re- 
markable progress.  No  less  than  thirty-six  new  congre- 
gations (1701-37)  were  organized,  making  now  sixty-five 
in  all.  Twenty-seven  new  ministers  also  began  their  labors 
during  this  period,  of  whom  nineteen  were  in  service  at  its 
close. 

THE  REQUEST  FOR  A  COETUS,  AND  THE  DELAY 
(1737-47)-' 

The  reflection  and  quiet  growth  of  the  church  during 
the  preceding  period,  and  the  necessity  of  more  ministers 
than  could  be  obtained  from  Europe,  pressed  the  subject 
of  association  and  American  ordination  upon  the  attention 
of  all.  There  were  more  than  tliree  times  as  many  churches 
as  pastors.      Of  the  sixty  ministers  who  had  labored  in  the 

1  See  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Letters  464-596. 


REQUEST  FOR  A    COETUS.  137 

church  Up  to  this  time,  all  but  seven  had  come  directly  from 
Europe.  Three  quarters  of  a  century  had  passed  since  the 
English  conquest,  and  the  tie  which  bound  the  people  to 
Holland  was  becoming  weakened.  Only  a  few  octogena- 
rians remained  who  had  seen  the  fatherland.  The  people 
were  American.  The  church  in  general  began  to  feel  that 
they  must  take  their  business  more  entirely  into  their  own 
hands,  and  ordain  young  men  for  the  ministry. 

But  at  some  previous  time,  the  date  of  which  has  not 
been  ascertained,  a  decree  of  the  Synod  of  North  Holland 
committed  the  American  churches,  no  longer  under  the 
care  of  the  West  India  Company,  to  the  care  of  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam.  This  subordination  was  very  generally 
acquiesced  in.  And  while  the  fathers  of  a  century  ago 
almost  universally  assert  the  jealous  prerogative  of  the 
Classis,  yet  at  times,  owing,  perhaps,  to  the  presence  of 
more  liberal-minded  men,  a  better  sentiment  prevailed ; 
for,  when  certain  ministers  were  sent  to  serve  the  German 
people  who  had  settled  on  the  Hudson  River,  at  the  Camp 
(i  7 10),  they  had  an  order  in  their  commissions  {in  ma^ndatis) 
to  hold  a  Classis  there,  although  we  have  discovered  no 
record  of  their  obedience.  But  it  was  the  Classis  of  Am- 
sterdam which  stimulated  Domines  Haeghoort  and  Peter 
van  Driessen  (1736)  to  propose  a  Coetus.^  These  breth- 
ren accordingly  wrote  to  the  Consistory  of  New  York 
(March  15,  1737)  "  a  statement  of  reasons  for  the  necessity 
of  a  Coetus,"  or  Association.  The  matter  was  carefully 
discussed  in  that  Consistory,  and  resulted  finally  in  a  cir- 
cular call  to  all  the  ministers  and  churches,  inviting  them 
to  meet  in  New  York  (September  5,  1737)  for  the  consid- 
eration of  this  matter.  Besides  Haeghoort's  statement  of 
reasons  which  accompanied  these  letters,  Domine  Du  Bois, 

1  In  letter  of  the  Classis  of  January  il,  1735  (No.  450),  to  the  ministers 
of  New  York,  the  Classis  already  suggest  the  propriety  of  an  Association. 


138  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

who  wrote  the  circular,  referred  to  the  nature  of  the  pro- 
posed body,  the  need  of  it  to  give  information  abroad  and 
to  settle  disputes  at  home.  At  the  time  appointed  seven 
ministers — viz.,  Du  Bois,  Haeghoort,  Freeman,  Van  Sant- 
voord,  Curtenius,  Muzelius,  and  Mancius — met  together 
and  drew  up  a  plan  for  the  proposed  Association.  Mancius 
and  Muzelius  argued  that  they  were  bound,  not  only  per- 
sonally, but  injttiially,  for  the  general  edification  of  the 
church ;  that  the  Classical  Acta  say  that  the  provincial 
ministers  are  to  exercise  not  only  the  pastoral  office,  but 
ecclesiastical  government  in  every  respect ;  that  all  the 
congregations  except  two  were  in  favor  of  the  plan  ;  that 
they  intended  to  seek  the  approbation  of  the  Classis,  hav- 
ing already  the  approbation  of  individual  members  of  it ; 
that  Van  Driessen  and  Haeghoort  had  been  encouraged 
by  the  Classis  to  bring  about  such  organization ;  and  the 
commission  of  the  ministers  to  the  Camp  had  actually 
directed  them  to  hold  a  Classis.  A  provisional  plan  was 
adopted  which  need  not  be  here  detailed,  and  another  cir- 
cular was  sent  out  by  Domine  Du  Bois  arguing  their  right 
to  seek  association  ;  that  it  was  needed  to  heal  divisions 
and  doctrinal  errors,  to  give  effective  counsels,  to  promote 
unity,  and  to  attract  ministers  to  America. 

The  following  spring  (April,  1738)  the  same  ministers, 
with  the  exception  of  Muzelius  and  Mancius,  together 
with  Frelinghuysen,  Erickzon,  Boehme,  and  Schuyler,  and 
eleven  elders,  met  in  New  York  and  received  the  answers 
of  the  churches,  and  after  amending  their  plan  sent  it  to 
Holland  for  approval.  A  speedy  and  happy  consumma- 
tion was  surely  expected. 

But  now  the  Classis  did  seem  jealous  of  their  preroga- 
tives, for  they  wrote  the  following  year  (1739)  to  some 
disaffected  parties  that  they  would  allow  a  Coetus  "  under 
the  express  condition  that  care  was  taken  not  to  have  a 


THE    COETUS   ORGANIZED.  1 39 

word  uttered  against  the  doctrine,  and  to  have  no  prepar- 
atory or  final  examinations  for  candidates  or  ministers ; 
these  being  matters  which  were,  by  the  Synod  of  Dort, 
restricted  to  the  respective  Classes,  and  which,  therefore, 
were  reserved  by  us  in  forming  a  Coetus  some  years  since 
in  the  colony  of  Surinam." 

Subsequently  the  Classis  sought  to  effect  a  union  of  the 
Dutch  with  the  Presbyterian  and  the  German  churches,  but  ^ 
without  success.  Nine  years  elapsed  before  they  granted  \ 
a  favorable  reply.  The  Presbyterians  had  been  fully  or- 
ganized for  more  than  a  generation,  and  Dorsius  was  pre- 
paring students  for  the  ministry  of  the  German  churches 
in  Pennsylvania.  In  the  same  year  that  the  request  for  a 
Coetus  was  sent  to  Holland,  Dorsius  and  Frelinghuysen 
ordained  Goetschius  on  their  individual  responsibility.  At 
length  the  Classis  was  morally  compelled  to  grant  a  Coe- 
tus to  the  German  churches  (1747),  after  which  they  could 
no  longer  withhold  it  from  the  Dutch.  The  organization 
of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  during  the  preceding  year 
(1746)  may  also  have  stimulated  them. 

Although  Frelinghuysen  had  acted  irregularly  in  or- 
daining Goetschius,  he  soon  after  sent  his  sons,  Theodore 
and  John,  to  Holland  for  education  and  ordination.  Dur- 
ing this  interim  of  delay  eight  new  ministers  began  their 
labors  :  five  had  come  from  Holland ;  two  American  youths 
had  returned  from  Holland,  whither  they  had  gone  for 
ordination, 'viz.,  Fryenmoet  and  Theodore  Frelinghuysen, 
afterward  of  Albany  ;  and  Goetschius  had  been  privately 
ordained  here.  Twenty-three  ministers  remained  in  the 
country.  Two  new  churches  had  been  organized.  Among 
the  newcomers  from  Holland  was  Domine  John  Ritzema 
(1744),  who  was  destined  to  play  so  important  a  part  in 
the  future  destinies  of  the  church. 


I40  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

THE  COETUS  ( I  747-54) — THE  BEGINNING  OF  INDEPEND- 
ENCE— ASSOCIATION  OF  THE  SCATTERED  MINIS- 
TERS AND  CHURCHES  IN  ORDER  TO  INCREASE 
THEIR  USEFULNESS  AND  MEET  THE  SPIRITUAL 
NECESSITIES    OF   THE    PEOPLE. 

The  plan  of  the  Coetus,  as  finally  adopted  by  the  dele- 
gates in  this  country  and  ratified  in  Holland,  provided  for 
delegates,  both  ministers  and  elders,  from  every  church ; 
the  transaction  of  only  ecclesiastical  business,  while  ac- 
knowledging subordination  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam ; 
yet,  for  the  greater  advantage  of  the  congregations.  Circles 
were  to  be  established,  to  which  the  questions  of  congrega- 
tions were  first  to  be  taken,  and  ultimately,  if  necessary,  to 
the  Coetus.  It  was  also  stipulated  that  all  ministers  here- 
after arriving  should  belong  to  the  Coetus. 

But  wdthin  a  year  after  the  formation  of  this  body  (i  748) 
they  were  exhorted  by  the  Classis  not  to  ask  permission 
to  examine  and  ordain  students.  But  three  had  applied 
at  their  first  session,  viz.,  Vanderlinde,  John  Leydt,  and 
Verbryck.  The  Coetus  had  previousl}/  gained  permission 
to  examine  and  ordain  the  first  two  of  these;  but  in  be- 
half of  Verbryck  they  fairly  had  to  plead  for  permission, 
which  was  at  length  reluctantly  granted.  Frelinghuysen, 
of  Albany,  was  at  first  opposed  to  American  ordination, 
but  finally  became  its  most  zealous  advocate.  The  body 
was  obliged  to  send  one  young  man  away  because  of  the 
reluctance  of  the  Classis,  and  others  were  prevented,  there- 
fore, from  applying.  Their  inability  to  do  anything  deci- 
sive in  the  troubles  of  Arondeus,  on  Long  Island,  and  of 
Muzelius,  at  Tappan,  made  them  feel  their  subordination 
and  their  helplessness  most  keenly.  Some  also  refused  to 
recognize  the  shadow  of  authority  which  they  thought  they 
possessed.     Their  only  privilege  seemed  to  be  to  send  a 


DESIRE  FOR  A    CLASSIS.  141 

joint  letter  once  a  year  to  Holland.  Their  desire  to  assist 
the  church  more  conveniently  and  rapidly  to  a  ministry 
adequate  to  its  necessities  was  completely  balked.  Two 
young  men  whom  they  had  sent  to  Holland  for  ordination 
had  thereby  lost  their  lives — viz.,  Ferdinand  and  Jacobus 
Frelinghuysen — having  died  of  smallpox  at  sea. 

The  friends  of  the  church,  therefore,  soon  became  con- 
vinced of  the  necessity  of  having  a  more  efficient  judica- 
tory. This  growing  feeling  induced  them  to  propose  a 
Classis  (1753).  It  gave  rise,  naturally,  to  considerable 
discussion,  and  Haeghoort  at  first  protested  against  the 
change.  A  year  later,  some  amendments  having  been 
made,  a  draft  of  the  general  features  of  the  proposed 
Classis  was  adopted  (September  19,  1754),  neinine  contra- 
diccnte,  by  eleven  ministers  and  eleven  elders.  De  Ronde 
was  not  present ;  but  Ritzema,  Haeghoort,  Curtenius,  and 
Vanderlinde,  all  of  whom  a  year  later  had  seceded,  were 
present,  and  appeared  to  be  in  favor  of  it.  The  draft  states 
that  they  were  "  constrained  in  conscience  to  seek  to  be- 
come changed  into  a  Classis,  in  view  of  the  defective,  fruit- 
less, and  disagreeable  nature  of  the  present  organization." 
It  further  stated  that  "  the  Coetus  could  give  no  satisfac- 
tory reason  from  the  Church  Order  for  its  present  con- 
stitution," being  neither  a  Consistory,  a  Classis,  nor  a 
Synod;  that  it  could  give  no  decisive  judgment;  it  could 
not  ordain  to  the  ministry ;  that  the  delay  of  sending 
all  matters  to  Holland  was  very  great ;  that  the  expense 
and  danger  of  sending  young  men  across  the  ocean  was 
likewise  great ;  that  candidates  would  seek  ordination 
from  other  bodies,  an  example  of  which  had  already  oc- 
curred ;  that  as  a  Classis  they  would  be  in  a  condition 
to  attend  to  all  matters  promptly,  as  they  arose  ;  that  they 
could  furnish  congregations  with  ministers ;  and  therefore 
they  requested  the  aid  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and 


142  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

of  the  Synod  of  North  Holland,  to  reach  the  desired  con- 
summation. 

The  plan  was  sent  to  the  churches  for  their  action  upon 
it.  The  answers  were  to  be  sent  to  Ritzema,  Schuyler,  and 
Verbryck,  as  a  committee,  who  were  to  send  the  draft  and 
the  answers  of  the  churches  to  the  Classis  and  Synod  in 
Holland.  Little  did  they  imagine  the  events  which  were 
speedily  to  follow. 

During  the  period  of  the  Coetus  proper  ( 1 748-54)  fifteen 
ministers  were  added  to  the  Reformed  Church,  but  only 
four  of  these  by  authority  of  that  body.  Six  students  had 
passed  by  them  and  gone  to  Holland  for  ordination,  and 
five  Europeans  had  emigrated  to  America.  Four  new 
churches  had  been  organized,  and  twenty-nine  ministers 
were  in  service. 

THE    DISRUPTION    OF   THE    CHURCH    (1754). 

There  was  at  this  time  a  general  desire  to  improve  the 
educational  facilities  in  New  York.  But  the  heterogene- 
ousness  of  the  population,  and  fear  of  an  English  church 
establishment,  constituted  great  difficulties  in  the  way. 
Harvard  and  Yale  existed  in  New  England,  the  College 
of  Nassau  (Princeton)  in  New  Jersey,  and  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  in  Philadelphia.  Moneys  had  been  raised 
by  the  New  York  Assembly  by  lottery,  as  early  as  1 746, 
for  a  college.  In  1751  the  amount  had  reached  ;^3443. 
Trustees  were  appointed  to  take  charge  of  these  funds, 
seven  of  whom  were  Episcopalian,  two  Dutch  Reformed, 
and  one  Presbyterian.  The  latter  was  that  eminent  jurist, 
William  Livingston,  but  he  never  qualified  as  trustee.  In 
1752  he  started  a  small  weekly  paper  called  the  "  Independ- 
ent Reflector,"  in  which  he  thoroughly  reviewed  the  plans 
proposed  for  establishing  a  college  in  New  York.      He  in- 


NECESSITY  OF  A    COLLEGE.  143 

sisted  that  it  should  be  by  charter  and  not  by  act  of  the 
Assembly,  and  that  it  should  be  unsectarian.  It  was  to 
be  supported  by  general  taxation,  and  nine  tenths  of  the 
population,  Mr.  Livingston  declares,  were  non-episcopal. 
His  articles  are  very  trenchant.  Answers  were  attempted 
in  the  columns  of  the  New  York  "  Mercury."  In  a  year 
and  a  half  Mr.  Livingston's  paper  was  suppressed  by  ex- 
citing fears  in  the  printer. 

In  May,  i  754,  Trinity  Church  came  to  the  rescue  of  the 
languishing  scheme  by  offering^  part  of  the  "  king's  farm  " 
as  land  for  a  college.  This  land  was  a  block  west  of  the 
City  Hall  Park,  between  West  Broadway  and  Church 
Street.  It  was  given  on  condition  that  the  president 
should  always  be  an  Episcopalian,  and  that  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  should  be  used.  The  trustees  now  again 
petitioned  the  governor  to  incorporate  the  institution.  So 
strong  was  their  expectation  of  success  that  college  exer- 
cises were  begun  in  the  vestry-room  of  Trinity  Church 
with  seven  pupils,  in  June,  1754.  Mr.  Livingston  now 
protested  against  the  incorporation  with  "  Twenty  Unan- 
swerable Reasons."  Petitions  were  also  sent  in  by  the 
people^  against  the  scheme,  until  the  Assembly  should 
have  settled  its  mode  of  government.  But  the  two  Dutch 
trustees  had*  already  deserted  Livingston  and  sided  with 
the  Episcopalians.  The  trustees  published  "  A  Brief  Vin- 
dication of  their  Proceedings  relating  to  the  College,  con- 
taining a  Sufficient  Answer  to  the  late  Famous  Protest, 
with  its  Twenty  Unanswerable  Reasons." 

Now  it  was  just  at  this  juncture  that  five  members  of 
the  Coetus — viz.,  Haeghoort,  Curtenius,  Ritzema,  De 
Ronde,  and  Vanderlinde — seceded  from  that  body.     They 

1  These  offers   printed  in   "  Centennial  of   New  Brunswick  Seminary," 
p.  308. 

2  These  petitions  and  protests  all  given  in  "  Centennial  of  New  Brunswick 
Seminary,"  pp.  309-319. 


144  '^^^  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

seem  to  have  become  suddenly  enamored  with  the  project 
of  the  college  as  proposed.  Were  they  deceived  by  spe- 
cious promises  ? 

The  last  meeting  of  the  Coetus  before  the  disruption 
took  place  on  September  19,  1754.  The  proposition  for 
a  Classis,  with  a  plan  of  the  same,  was  sent  down  to  the 
churches  for  their  determination.  Most  of  the  churches 
were  favorable  to  the  proposition.  The  church  of  New 
York,  however,  opposed  it.  They  took  formal  action  on 
October  i,  1754.  They  said  that  if  a  Coetus  was  of  no 
advantage  a  Classis  would  be  of  still  less ;  they  released 
Domine  De  Ronde  from  the  stipulations  of  his  call  to  sup- 
port the  Coetus ;  they  appointed  a  committee,  consisting 
of  Domines  Ritzema  and  De  Ronde,  to  write  to  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam  and  oppose  the  creation  of  a  Classis.  And 
finally : 

"5.  It  was  resolved  to  present  a  petition  to  the  Assem- 
bly, requesting  liberty  to  have  a  Professor  of  Divinity  in 
the  Low  Dutch  Church,  who  shall,  according  to  the  insti- 
tution of  the  same,  instruct  therein  freely  and  without 
hindrance.  Domines  Ritzema  and  De  Ronde,  and  Elders 
Cuyler  and  Richard,  were  made  a  committee  to  prepare 
the  draft." 

PETITION  OF  THE  COLLEGIATE  CHURCH    OF   NEW  YORK 

CITY   TO    THE    ASSEMBLY    FOR    A    PROFESSORSHIP 

OF   DIVINITY   IN   KING'S   COLLEGE   (1754).^ 

"  A  petition  of  the  Ministers,  Elders  and  Deacons  of 
the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  was  presented  to  the  House  and  read,  setting  forth 
that  as  the  estabHshing  of  a  College  within  this  Colony  for 

1  From  the  "  Journal  "  of  the  Assembly  (of  the  province),  vol.  ii.,  p.  392, 
October  25,  1754. 


PETITION  FOR  A    PROFESSORSHIP.  145 

the  instruction  of  youth  in  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences  has 
given  rise  to  various  debates,  and  is  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance to  their  civil,  and  more  especially  their  religious,  lib- 
erties ;  they  conceive  it  highly  necessary,  as  guardians  of 
the  ecclesiastical  interests  of  the  Dutch  congregations  of 
this  city  in  particular,  and  the  other  Dutch  churches  in 
this  province  in  general,  [that  they]  should  .  .  .  en- 
deavor to  add  to  the  privileges  and  liberties  thay  have 
heretofore  enjoyed  under  the  auspicious  smiles  of  the  Brit- 
ish Government ;  that  a  College  for  the  instruction  of 
youth  in  sound  literature  will  be  very  advantageous  in 
general ;  but  unless  provision  be  made  for  a  Professor  of 
Divinity  for  the  benefit  of  the  Dutch  churches  in  this 
country,  they  will  lose  a  main  advantage  thereby  (and 
which  they  prefer  to  every  other  benefit  expected  from  a 
public  Seminary  of  learning),  as  the  youth  intended  for  the 
ministry  will  without  that  privilege,  at  a  vast  expense  to 
the  parents,  be  obliged  to  reside  several  years  in  Holland,, 
or  other  foreign  Protestant  countries;  that  the  institution 
of  such  a  Professor  would  make  the  intended  College  more 
numerous  and  flourishing,  as  their  youths  would  thereby 
be  encouraged  to  the  study  of  Divinity  ;  that  as  the  Dutch 
are  the  greatest  number  of  any  single  denomination  of 
Christians  in  this  Province,  it  may  reasonably  be  expected 
that  in  all  Provincial  contributions  they  will  be  the  great- 
est benefactors  to  the  intended  College ;  and,  therefore, 
humbly  praying  that  the  Honorable  House  will  be  favor- 
ably pleased,  whenever  the  matter  of  the  said  College  comes 
under  consideration,  they  may,  by  the  Act  for  incorporat- 
ing and  establishing  the  same,  be  entitled  to  a  Divinity 
Professor,  with  a  reasonable  salary,  to  be  nominated  by 
the  Ministers,  Elders  and  Deacons  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Protestant  Church  in  this  City;  and  that  the  said  Professor 
may  freely  and  without  control  teach  the  doctrines  of  faith 


146  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

maintained  by  their  churches,  as  established  and  approved 
of  by  the  National  Synod  of  Dort,  1618,  1619." 

"  Ordered,  that  the  said  petition  be  taken  into  consider- 
ation when  the  House  proceeds  on  the  consideration  of 
establishing  a  College  for  the  education  of  youth  within 
this  Colony." 

Mr.  Livingston  writes  to  Rev.  Noah  Welles  (October  18, 
1754)  upon  this  subject,  as  follows:  "The  Dutch  Church 
has  preferred  a  petition  to  the  Assembly  (now  sitting), 
praying  for  a  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  college,  to  be 
chosen  and  appointed  by  them ;  which  petition,  for  the 
reasons  set  forth  in  the  same,  I  doubt  not  will  be  granted, 
and  will  not  fail  of  having  a  good  effect,  even  should  it  be 
rejected.  If  it  meets  with  success,  it  will  secure  to  the 
Dutch  a  Calvinistic  professor,  and  diminish  that  badge  of 
distinction  to  which  the  Episcopalians  are  so  zealously 
aspiring.  Should  it  be  rejected,  as  it  will  meet  with  oppo- 
sition from  the  sticklers  for  a  party  college,  that  will  ani- 
mate the  Dutch  against  them,  and  convince  them  that  all 
their  pretenses  to  sisterhood  and  identity  were  fallacious 
and  hypocritical." 

This,  petition  was  favorably  received  by  the  Assembly, 
and  the  New  York  church  confidently  expected  the  full 
accomplishment  of  their  desires ;  but  while  this  matter  was 
pending  they  wrote  ^  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  (October 
17,  1754),  expatiating  upon  the  uselessness  of  the  Coetus, 
the  importance  of  a  learned  ministry,  that  American-made 
ministers  would  bring  about  a  total  separation  of  the  church 
from  Holland,  that  partisanship  ruled  the  Coetus,  and  "  for 
these  and  the  like  reasons  we  are  bold  to  renew  our  old 
relations  and  remain  in  entire  correspondence  with  you,  to 

1  See  the  entire  letter  in  "  Centennial  of  New  Brunswick  Seminary," 
p.  302. 


THE    COLLEGE    CHARTERED.  1 47 

communicate  our  affairs,  and  expect  counsel  and  direction  ; 
and  we  hope  that  you  will  in  no  respect  withdraw  from  us, 
but  continue  to  be  our  counselors  for  the  good  of  our  church, 
and  we  desire  that  the  undertaking  of  the  petitioners  [i.e., 
the  expected  request  of  the  Coetus  for  a  Classis]  may  not 
prosper."     This  was  signed  by  the  whole  Consistory. 

We  cannot  but  wonder  that  this  letter  does  not  mention 
their  petition  to  the  Assembly  for  a  professorship  in  King's 
College.  One  week  later  (October  31,  1754)  the  gover- 
nor, although  not  without  reluctance,  granted  a  charter 
for  King's  (now  Columbia)  College,  without  including  the 
divinity  professorship  for  the  Dutch.  On  the  same  day 
William  Livingston  published  the  first  of  fifty-two  articles 
called  "  The  Watch-Tower  "  in  the  New  York  "  Mercury," 
to  whose  columns  he  had  now  gained  access.  His  articles 
enlightened  the  public  mind.  He  proposed  a  bill  for  an 
unsectarian  college  in  November,  1755.  This  was  not 
afterward  pressed  to  a  passage,  but  it  had  its  effect  on  the 
public. 

The  governors  of  the  college  named  in  the  charter  were 
to  be  certain  civil  functionaries,  ex  officio,  and  twenty-four 
other  gentlemen  (of  whom  Mr.  Livingston  was  one),  the 
rector  of  Trinity  Church,  the  senior  minister  of  the  Dutch 
church,  the  ministers  of  the  ancient  Lutheran  church,  of 
the  French  church,  and  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  Mr.  Livingston  never  qualified 
as  a  trustee  by  taking  the  required  oath,  but  Domine 
Ritzema  did.  In  the  last  number  of  "  The  Watch-Tower  " 
Livingston  addressed  the  newly  arrived  governor.  Hardy 
(November  17,  1775),  reviewing  the  whole  history  of  the 
charter,  holding  up  the  real  objects  of  the  respective  parties, 
claiming  that,  notwithstanding  the  charter,  he  had  gained 
the  people.  This  fact  appeared  from  the  difficulties  which 
now  arose  about  the  transfer  of  the  funds  from  the  original 


148  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

temporary  trustees  to  the  governors  named  in  the  charter. 
Were  they  not  the  people's  funds,  and  not  those  of  a  single 
and  small  religious  body  ?  After  a  year  of  debate  one  half 
of  them  was  diverted  to  the  corporation  of  the  city,  where- 
with to  build  a  new  jail  and  pest-house.  The  college,  also, 
founded  on  a  basis  contrary  to  the  general  wishes  of  the 
majority,  never  throve  until  after  the  Revolution.  Liv- 
ingston's opinion  of  his  victory  is  expressed  in  the  follow- 
ing note  to  De  Ronde  at  this  time : 

"  Amicus  noster  invictusque  pro  republica  pugnator, 
*  The  Watch-Tower,'  in  ipso  aetatis  ac  victoriarum  flore, 
septimane  superiore  diem  clausit  extremum.  Nee  alienis 
hostilibusque  viribus  interfectus  est,  sed  lubens  et  more 
triumphantium,  memorque  patriae  atque  pristimse  digni- 
tatis suae,  pugnans  victorque  a  proelio  decessit.  Hanc  ob 
causam  plus  nobis  olim  est  otii." 

Although  the  scheme  of  a  professor  for  the  Dutch  in 
King's  College  had  thus  far  failed";  the  church  at  large  was 
greatly  -displeased  at  the  attempt.  Rev.  Theodore  Fre- 
linghuysen,  pastor  at  Albany,  started  on  January  i,  1755, 
visiting  all  the  principal  churches,  and  securing  signatures 
for  a  college  for  the  Dutch  alone.  He  also  ascertained  the 
opinion  in  reference  to  the  American  Classis. 

Meanwhile,  as  the  time  drew  near  when  the  committee 
should  have  been  convoked  (April  i-io,  1755)  to  hear  the 
reports  of  the  churches  in  the  matter  of  the  Classis,  Rit- 
zema  and  his  friends  must  have  painfully  felt  the  awkward- 
ness of  their  situation.  While  he  had  abandoned  the 
Coetus,  his  Episcopal  friends  had  not  stood  by  him.  The 
subject  had  been  thoroughly  ventilated  during  the  winter, 
and  the  friends  of  the  college,  while  they  saw  they  had 
acted  unhandsomely,  were  likewise  somewhat  alarmed. 
If  Frelinghuysen's  academy  succeeded  they  would  have  a 
poor  support  for  their  college,  as  the  Dutch  population  was 


KING'S   COLLEGE   CHARTER  AMENDED.  149 

yet  largely  in  the  majority.  Shall  not  they  and  the  Dutch 
friends  in  New  York  again  strike  hands,  which  would  both 
relieve  the  charter  of  its  partisan  character  and  relieve  cer- 
tain Dutch  ministers  from  their  predicament?  It  would  be 
mutually  advantageous.  Yet,  owing  to  the  strong  popular 
feeling  against  the  college,  would  it  be  wise  to  carry  the 
subject  before  the  public?  Mr.  Ritzema,  as  one  of  the 
qualified  governors  of  the  college,  had  peculiar  opportuni- 
ties to  try  again  to  secure  the  professorship  in  the  college. 
Accordingly  we  read  :  "  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Board 
of  Governors  (May  7,  1755),  after  their  acceptance  of  the 
charter,  and  the  speech  of  the  lieutenant-governor,  and 
the  reply  of  Mr.  Chambers,  Rev.  Mr.  Ritzema,  senior 
minister  of  the  Dutch  church,  among  other  things  ad- 
dressed by  him  to  the  lieutenant-governor,  remarked  that 
he  was  sorry  to  have  observed  the  differences  and  animos- 
ities in  the  province  touching  several  restrictions  in  the 
charter.  He  expressed  his  hope  that  some  means  might 
be  fallen  upon  to  heal  them,  and  his  belief  that  it  would 
conduce  greatly  to  that  end  if  his  Honor  would  be  pleased 
to  grant,  either  by  addition  to  the  charter  or  in  such  other 
manner  as  should  be  thought  most  proper,  that  there 
should  be  established  in  the  college  a  professor  of  divinity, 
for  the  education  of  such  of  the  youth  of  their  church  as 
might  be  intended  for  the  ministry,  with  a  suitable  allow- 
ance of  salary,  and  to  be  chosen  by  the  Consistory  of  that 
church  for  the  time  being.  The  lieutenant-governor,  in 
reply,  expressed  his  approval  of  Mr.  Ritzema's  suggestion, 
and  his  willingness  to  grant  any  application  in  accordance 
with  it  that  the  governors  might  address  to  him.  The  gov- 
ernors at  once  unajiimous/j  adopted  Mr.  Ritzema's  pro- 
posal, and  appointed  a  committee  to  prepare  their  petition 
accordingly ;  which  being  reported  at  their  next  meeting, 
and  approved,  the  same  committee  was  directed  to  present 


I50  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iV. 

it,  and  at  the  meeting  after,  on  the  3d  of  June,  Mr.  Banyar, 
deputy  secretary  of  the  province,  dehvered  to  the  gover- 
nors his  Majesty's  additional  charter,  making  provision  for 
the  estabhshment  of  a  professor  in  divinity,  according  to 
the  doctrine,  disciphne,  and  worship  established  by  the 
national  Synod  of  Dort."  The  success  of  this  second  at- 
tempt, with  the  preceding  circumstances  in  general,  was  the 
immediate  cause  of  the  disruption  of  the  Dutch  Church. 

THE    ACTION    OF   THE    COETUS — THEIR    ASSUMPTION 
OF    INDEPENDENCE. 

The  committee  not  having  met  in  the  early  part  of  April, 
and  Ritzema  having  finally  succeeded  in  his  plans  in  the 
early  part  of  May  (i  755),  the  Rev.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen 
assumed  the  responsibihty  of  calling  an  extra  meeting  of 
the  Coetus  for  May  30th.  Its  design  was  to  take  official 
action  in  the  matter  of  an  American  Classis,  and  also  to 
consider  the  subject  of  an  academy  distinctively  for  the 
Dutch  Church.  Ritzema,  of  course,  was  not  present,  al- 
though the  meeting  was  held  in  New  York.  Three  years 
later  he  sought  to  vindicate  the  conduct  of  himself  and 
his  friends  by  saying  that  they  "  were  driven  off  b)^  the 
imperious  conduct  of  Rev.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  who 
took  it  upon  himself,  without  the  order  of  any  one,  to 
put  the  congregations  under  a  Classis,  and  to  erect  an 
academy  the  professors  of  which  he  had  already  named, 
and  the  support  of  which  he  intended  to  draw  from  Hol- 
land." Ritzema,  as  the  last  president  of  the  Coetus,  held  the 
Book  of  Minutes,  which  the  Coetus  party  never  recovered. 
Thenceforth  the  anti-Coetus  men,  as  if  they  were  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  church,  although  a  minority,  recorded 
their  own  letters,  and  subsequently  (i  764),  when  they  found 
it  expedient  to  organize  themselves  formally,  they  recorded 
their  proceedings,  in  this  .same  volume.  But  it  was  several 
years  before  they  could  obtain  any  official  recognition  from 


COMMISSION  OF  FRELINGHUYSEN.  151 

Holland.  We  have,  therefore,  the  subsequent  proceedings 
of  the  Coetus  (or  American  Classis,  which  it  now  became) 
only  in  fragments.  If  they  were  recorded  in  a  volume  it 
is  not  impossible  that  it  may  yet  come  to  light.  Part  of 
their  proceedings  at  this  extra  meeting  was  the  commis- 
sioning of  Mr.  Frelinghuysen  to  go  to  Holland  to  collect 
funds  for  the  proposed  academy.  This  document  was 
written  in  the  Latin  language,  and  signed  by  the  ministe- 
rial members  present.  A  copy  was  made  in  the  Dutch 
language,  somewhat  more  expanded,  and  this  contains  the 
names  of  the  elders : 

"  OUR    SALUTATION    IN    THE    LORD    TO    ALL    WHO    MAY    READ 
THIS    LETTER. 1 

"[May,  1755.]  Inasmuch  as  it  is  expedient  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  conducive  to  the  salvation  of  men,  to 
establish  in  these  recently  inhabited  ends  of  the  earth 
seminaries  of  true  philosophy  as  well  as  of  sound  doctrine, 
that  men  may  be  imbued  with  the  principles  of  human 
wisdom,  virtue,  and  unostentatious  piety :  Therefore  we, 
pastors  and  elders  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  both  prov- 
inces— viz.,  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  in  North  Amer- 
ica— being  assembled  in  a  Coetus,  and  having  established 
an  alliance  among  ourselves,  do  resolve  in  these  present 
critical  times  to  strive  with  all  our  energy,  and  in  the  fear 
of  God,  to  plant  a  university  or  seminary  for  young  men 
destined  for  study  in  the  learned  languages  and  in  the  lib- 
eral arts,  and  who  are  to  be  instructed  in  the  philosophical 
sciences ;  also  that  it  may  be  a  school  of  the  prophets  in 
which  young  Levites  and  Nazarites  of  God  may  be  pre- 
pared to  enter  upon  the  sacred  ministerial  office  in  the 
church  of  God.  Indeed,  because  our  country  is  yet  new, 
and  not  possessed  of  so  great  wealth  as  is  required  for  the 

1  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Doc.  794.     See  the  original  Latin  in  "  Manual  of  1869," 


152  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

work  prescribed,  therefore  we  earnestly  beseech  all  the 
well  disposed,  and  implore  them  to  be  willing  to  help  us 
with  the  power  of  money,  by  giving  something  for  the 
promotion  of  this  great  and  peculiarly  necessary  work 
which  we  have  undertaken;  and  we  hereby  delegate  and 
do  appoint,  by  our  authority  and  this  present  instrument, 
the  Rev.  Domine  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  the  very  faith- 
ful pastor  of  the  Reformed  church  at  Albany,  to  present 
our  most  humble  petition  wherever  the  providence  of  God 
may  open  up  a  way,  and  to  explain  more  fully  the  weighty 
reasons  of  this  our  proposition  ;  to  receive  donations,  and 
in  all  circumstances  to  act  as  may  seem  good  to  him  and 
necessary  for  the  furtherance  of  the  matter  above  men- 
tioned. He  will  also  give,  in  behalf  of  the  brethren  united 
in  this  alliance,  an  exact  account  of  all  things.  We  there- 
fore pray  that  the  all-sufficient  God  will  give  him  a  pleas- 
ant voyage  across  the  ocean  and  a  prosperous  return,  and 
will  open  the  hearts  and  the  hands  of  the  well  disposed, 
and  bountifully  reward  them  for  their  gifts  contributed  to 
us,  both  in  this  world  and  in  the  world  to  come. 

"  Done  in  our  Coetus  Convention,  held  in  New  York  on 
the  thirtieth  day  of  May,  1755.  In  the  name  and  by  the 
authority  of  the  whole  Coetus. 

"Reinhart  Erickzon,  p.  t.  President, 
Johannes  Leydt,  /.  t.  Scribe, 
Benjamin  Meynema, 
Ulpiandis  van  Sinderin, 
Johannes  Henricus  Goetschius, 
J.  C.  Fryenmoet, 
Samuel  Verbryck, 
Davh)  Marinus, 
Barent  Vrooman, 
Johannes  Schuneman, 
Thomas  Romeyn." 


THE   COETUS  ASSUMES  INDEPENDENCE.  153 

The  Coetus  had  great  hopes  of  success  in  this  matter, 
on  account  of  the  peculiar  success  of  Mr.  Schlatter  in  1 75  i, 
when  he  visited  Europe  in  behalf  of  the  German  churches. 
But  the  circumstances  were  not  altogether  similar.  Mr. 
Frelinghuysen  did  not  start  on  his  mission  until  four  and 
a  half  years  later  (October,  1759). 

At  this  same  meeting,  without  waiting  further,  all  the 
powers  of  a  Classis  were  assumed,  according  to  the  con- 
stitution of  the  church  (May  30,  1755).^  Correspondence 
had  been  had  with  Holland  during  the  previous  winter, 
but  with  not  very  satisfactory  results.  It  seemed  neces- 
sary to  take  this  independent  course  in  order  to  forestall 
the  plans  of  the  professorship  in  King's  College,  which  had 
been  consummated  without  authority  from  Holland,  and, 
after  its  first  failure,  without  authority  from  the  church  of 
New  York.  The  Coetus  at  once  proceeded  to  license 
Henry  Frelinghuysen,  whose  case  had  been  pending  for 
some  time ;  and  from  year  to  year  they  licensed  others 
without  consulting  the  wishes  of  the  European  Classis. 
They  also  at  this  first  meeting  censured  the  opponents  of 
Domine  Goetschius  at  Hackensack,  as  well  as  his  colleague, 
Curtenius,  and  Domine  Haeghoort,  who  defended  him. 
These  parties,  in  turn,  commenced  a  civil  suit  against  them 
as  disturbers  of  the  peace.  When  afterward  directed  to 
remove  these  censures  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  they 
refused  to  obey.  Subsequently,  when  Schuyler  succeeded 
Curtenius  at  Hackensack,  they  censured  him  for  doing  this 
without  their  permission. 

When  Domine  Ritzema's  amendment  to  the  charter  of 
the  college  became  known  to  the  public,  there  was  much 
dissatisfaction  with  it,  even  in  his  own  church.  His  Con- 
sistory entered  a  complaint  (August  11,  1755)  against  his 

1  See  Smith's  "  New  York,"  p.  334. 


154  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

course  of  conduct  in  this  respect,  and  ordered  it  to  be  en- 
tered on  their  records.^ 

COMPLAINT    OF   THE    CHURCH    OF    NEW    YORK    AGAINST 

RITZEMA. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Consistory  of  New  York  one  of  the 
members  presented  a  writing,  with  a  request  that  it  should 
be  read  to  the  meeting;  which  having  been  done,  it  was 
by  a  majority  vote  ordered  to  be  recorded  in  the  church 
book,  and  for  this  purpose  given  to  the  president.  It  runs 
thus : 

"  A  testimony  and  declaration  in  writing  of  the  elders, 
deacons,  and  church-masters  of  the  Low  Dutch  Reformed 
Protestant  Congregation  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

"After  that  the  Consistory,  in  the  year  1754,  had  pre- 
sented a  request  to  the  Hon.  House  of  Assembly,  in  their 
own  name  and  that  of  the  other  Low  Dutch  congregations 
in  the  province  of  New  York,  asking  certain  rights  or  priv- 
ileges in  the  provincial  academy  or  college  which  they 
were  about  to  establish  among  us,  and  had  obtained  a 
favorable  reply  thereto,  it  was  thought  proper  to  leave  the 
matter  to  their  Honors'  prudence  and  wisdom,  not  doubt- 
ing that  they,  with  the  consent  of  the  lieutenant-governor 
and  the  high  council,  would  lay  the  foundation  and  the 
principles  of  the  said  academy  in  such  a  way  that  the  Low 
Dutch  Reformed  congregations  here,  as  well  as  others, 
would  acquiesce  therein  with  joy  and  satisfaction,  and  be 
animated  to  do  their  utmost  for  its  upbuilding  and  ad- 
vancement, with  unity  and  brotherly  love,  binding  hearts 
and  hands  together  with  all  who  sought  to  further  the 
welfare  and  success  of  the  same ; 

"  And  seeing  that  since  that  time  some  persons  have 

1  Although  this  amendment  to  the  charter  was  passed,  it  was  never  put 
on  the  public  records. 


COMPLAINT  AGAINST  RITZEMA.  I  55 

obtained  a  charter  for  a  college  for  the  English  Church, 
whose  fundamental  articles  are  opposed  to  the  object  of 
the  provincial  academy,  and  which  is  so  strictly  limited 
that  almost  no  privileges  or  liberties  are  left  to  induce 
other  denominations  to  unite  with  them,  but  only  a  small 
number  of  trustees  or  governors  of  the  college  who  are  not 
of  that  church,  who  can  easily  be  overborne  in  voting  by 
those  of  the  English  Church,  which  has  given  much  ofTense 
and  dissatisfaction  here,  especially  to  those  who  have  at 
heart  their  rights  and  privileges ; 

"  This  being  so,  notwithstanding  Domine  John  Ritzema, 
as  the  oldest  minister  of  our  congregation  at  New  York, 
allowed  himself  to  qualify  as  one  of  the  governors  of  the 
said  college,  and  took  an  oath  to  seek  the  prosperity  of  the 
same,  all  without  the  knowledge,  advice,  or  consent  of  the 
Consistory — nay,  against  their  will  and  purpose — and  used 
all  diligence  to  establish  said  college,  together  with  a  press- 
ure to  obtain  an  addition  to  the  charter,  providing  a  Dutch 
professor  for  the  Low  Dutch  people;  which  addition,  when 
obtained,  is  of  no  essential  advantage,  being  so  limited  that 
the  said  governors,  or  the  majority  of  fifteen  of  them,  may, 
according  to  their  pleasure,  under  pretense  of  misconduct, 
suspend  the  Dutch  professor,  or  even  displace  him  from 
his  ofifice,  without  any  liberty  of  appeal ;  and,  under  the 
appearance  of  liberties  allowed  to  the  Low  Dutch  Church, 
they  seek  to  move  the  members  of  the  Hon.  House  of 
Assembly,  by  a  request  or  petition,  to  bestow  the  public 
money  on  the  said  English  Church  college,  which  request, 
or  petition,  was  signed  by  Domine  Ritzema,  as  one  of  the 
governors,  and  thereby  he  instigated  the  Assembly  to  con- 
firm and  ratify  the  said  charter ; 

"  And  seeing  that  we,  the  present  ruling  Consistory, 
are  by  God's  providence  chosen  over  this  congregation  to 
watch  for  its  welfare,  and  as  far  as  possible  hinder  any  dis- 


156  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  iv. 

cord  or  perversity,  we  cannot  with  a  good  conscience  omit 
to  have  noted  in  the  church  book  the  following  testimonies, 
in  order  that  every  one  of  our  congregation,  and  those  who 
come  after  us,  may  know  our  solemn  convictions  of  the 
imprudent  conduct  of  Domine  John  Ritzema,  and  also  be- 
cause our  silence  in  so  weighty  a  matter  might  be  taken 
for  a  consent  and  approval :   Therefore  we  testify  : 

"  I.  That  Domine  John  Ritzema,  in  allowing  himself  to 
be  qualified  as  governor  or  overseer  of  said  English  charter 
college,  did  this  without  our  knowledge,  and  therefore 
without  the  advice,  counsel,  or  consent  of  the  Consistory. 

"  2.  That  the  addition  to  said  charter,  which  was  ob- 
tained by  means  of  his  reverence,  and  is  said  to  contain 
full  privileges  for  our  congregation,  was  prepared  incon- 
testably  without  our  knowledge,  advice,  or  counsel,  and 
in  no  respect  answers  to  our  conception  of  what  would  be 
advantageous  for  the  upbuilding  of  our  church,  and  is 
dearly  bought,  since  it  is  so  fettered  by  the  jurisdiction  of 
other  parties  that  the  liberties  and  rights  therein  given  to 
the  Low  Dutch  are  nothing  but  a  fair  show. 

"  3.  That  the  aforesaid  conduct  of  his  reverence  with  the 
gentlemen  of  the  English  Church,  in  a  matter  of  so  great 
importance  to  our  congregation,  without  the  knowledge  or 
counsel  of  the  Consistory,  is  contrary  to  our  expectation, 
against  the  close  bonds  which  ought  to  exist  between 
Consistory  and  minister,  against  the  indispensable  respect 
which  he  ought  to  show  to  the  Consistory,  against  brotherly 
love,  and  against  the  unity  and  peace  of  our  congregation. 

"  4.  That  the  strife  and  discord  which  have  arisen  upon 
his  course,  his  reverence  alone  is  the  cause  and  author  of. 

"  Set  down,  according  to  the  resolution  of  the  Consis- 
tory, this  eleventh  of  August,  1755.      In  the  name  of  all. 
"Signed, 

"  Lambertus  DE  Ronde,  Pres^ 


THE   CHURCH  DIVIDED.  157 

To  this  Domine  Ritzema  made  a  feeble  reply.^ 
On  account  of  these  circumstances  a  sad  division  took 
place  in  the  church,  which  lasted  for  sixteen  years  (1755- 
71).      It  is  known  as  the  Coetus  and  Conferentie  contro- 
versy.     The  details  of  the  struggle  have  been  given  with 
considerable  fullness  in  the  author's  "  Manual  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  America"  (1879),  and  need  not  be  here 
repeated.     The   Conferentie  pleaded  long  for  recognition 
by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and  it  was  only  partially  ob- 
tained after  several  years.     This  recognition  was  unfortu- 
nate, as  they  then  tried  to  organize  an  independent  body 
(1764),  which  had  a  brief  and  sickly  existence.     Meantime 
the  Coetus  or  American  Classis  continued  to  exercise  inde- 
pendent powers,  although  in  constant  correspondence  with 
the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.      They  examined  and  ordained 
young  men  as  opportunity  permitted.      A  pamphlet  con- 
troversy was  carried  on  for  several  years  by  Ritzema,  of 
New  York,  and  Rev.  John  Leydt,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
in  which  the  whole  question  of  the  right  to  organize  inde- 
pendently to  meet  the  spiritual  necessities  of  the  people  was 
discussed.      Contests  and  irregular  suspensions  took  place, 
with  appeals  to  the  civil  power.      It  was  during  this  con- 
troversy that  it  was  said  that  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
Great  Britain  was  inconsistent  with  subordination  to  the 
foreign  state  church  of  Holland,  and  hence  they  must  be 
independent.     Rev.    Herman   Meyer,   a  man   of  a  sweet 
evangelical  spirit,  was  a  principal  sufferer  through  irregular 
disciplinary  acts  of  the  Conferentie  party.      The  Classis  of 
Amsterdam  vacillated,  and  threatened  to  abandon  both 
parties.     The  whole  matter  became  compHcated  with  the 
introduction  of  English  preaching  in  New  York  in  1763, 
which  resulted  in  a  sad  lawsuit.      The  American  Classis  in 
1766  obtained  a  charter  for  Queen's  College  in  New  Jer- 

1  See  "  Manual,"  1879,  p.  44. 


158  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap,  i v. 

sey.  Several  ineffectual  attempts  were  made  to  unite  the 
parties,  but  the  Conferentie  were  unwilling  that  the  ma- 
jority should  rule.  Churches  and  even  families  were  di- 
vided, and  religion  was  disgraced.  There  seemed  no  way 
to  effect  a  reconciliation. 


CHAPTER  V. 

REUNION     OF    THE    PARTIES — ECCLESIASTICAL    INDE- 
PENDENCE— ADOPTION    OF   A    CONSTITUTION 
(1771-92). 

But  while  no  basis  of  harmony  seemed  possible  to  hu- 
man wisdom,  circumstances  were  occurring  which  would 
result  in  the  union  of  the  two  parties.  As  the  pious  John 
Livingston,  of  Ancrum,  Scotland,  had  been  driven  to  Hol- 
land a  century  before,  and  had  found  a  welcome  reception 
in  the  Reformed  Church  of  that  land,  so  now  Providence 
ordered  it  that  a  descendant  of  his  should  repay  the  former 
kindness  by  becoming  a  peacemaker  to  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  in  America. 

John  H.  Livingston  was  graduated  from  Yale  College 
in  1 762.  After  some  hesitation  as  to  his  future  course, 
he  dedicated  himself  to  the  ministry.  The  question  now 
pressed  itself  upon  his  attention  whether  he  should  remain 
in  the  Dutch  Church  or  join  the  Presbyterian  or  the  Epis- 
copal. The  condition  of  the  Dutch  Church  was  very  un- 
inviting just  then,  not  only  on  account  of  the  division,  but 
on  account  of  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  change  of 
language.  He  did  not  understand  Dutch  very  well ;  and, 
to  be  useful  to  all,  he  would  probably  be  obliged  to  go 
to  Holland  for  his  theological  education  and  ordination. 
Nevertheless  he  decided  to  remain  in  the  church  of  his 


l6o  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

fathers.  The  very  troubles  which  would  have  repelled 
most  men  led  him  to  devote  himself  to  the  task  of  reconcil- 
ing the  parties.      And  he  was  not  mistaken  in  his  mission. 

In  the  summer  of  1765  he  became  acquainted  with  the 
devoted  Laidlie,  and  learned  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
state  of  the  church.  At  length  he  sailed  for  Holland  (May 
12,  1766),  being  the  last  of  the  American  youth  who  went 
thither  for  education  and  ordination.  It  was  a  fortunate 
circumstance  for  the  party  of  independence  that  they  had 
successively  three  such  able  men  to  represent  them  in  the 
fatherland  in  the  decade  preceding  their  success.  Theo- 
dore Frelinghuysen  (1760)  had  urged  the  necessity  of  a 
university  for  the  church,  and  of  an  American  Classis; 
Hardenbergh,  an  able  American  ordained  minister  (1761- 
63),  had  exerted  a  happy  influence  in  enlightening  public 
opinion  in  reference  to  the  wants  of  the  American  churches  ; 
and  now  (1766-70)  Livingston  was  eminently  calculated 
to  complete  the  work.  He  attended  lectures  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Utrecht,  and  by  his  lovely  spirit  made  many 
friends.  He  mastered  the  Dutch  language,  and  learned 
to  speak  in  Latin  almost  as  readily  as  in  his  native  tongue. 
He  developed  in  piety  as  in  knowledge,  and  became  a 
winner  of  souls  while  abroad. 

But  his  heart  was  ever  seeking  to  devise  plans  of  peace 
for  the  churches  in  America.  He  was  in  constant  corre- 
spondence with  friends  at  home,  especially  with  an  eminent 
elder,  Abram  Lott,  who  had  also  been  treasurer  of  the  prov- 
ince of  New  York.  When  the  Coetus  party  obtained  their 
charter  for  a  college  in  New  Jersey  (November,  i  766),  he 
labored  diligently  to  make  that  plan  effective.  He  secured 
from  liberal  friends  the  promise  that  they  would  educate 
a  proper  American  youth  as  professor  in  said  institution 
(1767).  He  afterward  abandoned  the  plan,  lest  it  should 
seem  to  have  too  partisan  a  character. 


EFFORTS  FOR    UNION.  l6l 

After  the  visit  of  Dr.  Witherspoon  to  Holland  (1768)  a 
Plan  of  Union  was  drawn  up  similar  to  that  which  was 
afterward  adopted,  except  that  the  American  Dutch  youth 
studying  for  the  ministry  should  be  educated  at  Princeton. 
It  was  thought  that  the  Dutch  Church  could  hardly  sus- 
tain an  independent  theological  professor,  and  the  profess- 
ors in  Holland  had  confidence  in  Dr.  Witherspoon.  This 
plan  was  laid  before  the  Synod  of  North  Holland  and  pro- 
visionally approved.  In  the  meantime  the  Classis  of  Am- 
sterdam wrote  to  the  American  churches  concerning  the 
matter.  But  the  Coetus  objected  to  a  local  union  with 
Princeton,  even  as  they  had  formerly  objected  to  a  pro- 
fessorship in  King's  College.  The  Conferentie,  with  the 
exception  of  Rysdyck,  were  utterly  opposed  to  the  plan, 
and  gave  a  negative  answer  without  even  consulting  their 
elders.  The  Coetus,  however,  sent  a  circular  letter  to  the 
churches  to  ascertain  their  general  opinion.  A  committee 
of  the  Coetus  waited  upon  the  New  York  Consistory  (May 
4,  1769),  representing  "  their  heartfelt  inclination  for  peace, 
and  requested  that  the  Consistory  would  be  pleased  to  act 
according  to  their  ability  to  promote  that  desirable  end." 
The  Consistory  answered  that  they  also  had  "  a  heartfelt 
desire  for  peace ;  but  since  this  project  relates  peculiarly 
to  them  [the  Coetus]  they  should  state  how  they  regard 
it:  whether  they  approve  it,  and,  if  not,  if  they  have  any 
observations  to  make  thereupon,  and,  if  so,  what."  It  does 
not  appear  what  reply,  if  any,  the  Coetus  made. 

An  effort  was  now  made  by  the  friends  ot  Ritzema 
(1769)  to  put  him  in  the  theological  chair  in  King's  Col- 
lege ;  and  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  was  pleased  with  the 
plan,  and  recommended  its  adoption,  until  a  college  for  the 
Dutch  could  be  erected.  But  in  the  state  of  feeling  which 
existed  it  was  impossible  for  such  a  plan  to  succeed. 

This    circumstance   apparently   stimulated   the   Coetus 


1 62  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

party  to  still  greater  efforts.  Their  chartered  academy  of 
1 766  had  deservedly  failed,  because  it  was  too  narrow  and 
limited  in  its  design.  It  was  to  be  distinctively  Dutch. 
They  now  cut  loose  from  such  narrowness  of  spirit,  and 
launched  forth  upon  a  more  liberal  course.  They  obtained 
a  charter  for  Queen's  (now  Rutgers)  College  upon  a  foun- 
dation capable  of  almost  indefinite  expansion  (March  20, 
1770).^  Its  preamble  states  that  the  people  of  the  Re- 
formed faith  and  discipline  were  very  numerous,  and  were 
desirous  of  a  learned  and  well-quaHfied  ministry,  and  there- 
fore desired  a  college  not  only  for  the  usual  reasons,  but 
especially  that  young  men  might  prepare  for  the  ministry  ; 
that  the  inconveniences  were  many  and  the  expenses  heavy 
in  procuring  ministers  from  Europe,  or  sending  young  men 
thither  for  education ;  that  there  was  a  great  necessity  for 
an  increased  nimiber  of  ministers,  and  that  a  charter  was 
necessary  for  the  preservation  of  collegiate  funds. 

The  charter  states  that  the  proposed  institution  was  de- 
signed "  to  promote  learning  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity, and  the  advancement  of  the  Protestant  religion 
of  all  dcnoniiiiations;  and  more  especially  to  remove,  as 
much  as  possible,  the  necessity  our  said  loving  subjects 
have  hitherto  been  under  of  sending  their-youth  intended 
for  the  ministry  to  a  foreign  country  for  education,  and  of 
being  subordinate  to  a  foreign  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction.'" 

The  trustees  were  directed  to  meet  first  at  Hackensack, 
in  May,  1770.  The  location  of  the  college  was  not  deter- 
mined by  the  charter.  The  president  was  always  to  be  a 
member  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  could  be  the 
professor  of  divinity  also,  if  elected  thereto.  And  while 
the  trustees  were  to  appoint  such  professors  or  tutors  as 

1  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Doc.  1093.  It  is  ]irintcd  in  several  pamphlets  relating 
to  the  college,  and  in  "  Minutes  of  General  Synod,"  vol.  viii.,  1850,  with  sup- 
plementary acts,  1799,  1825. 


CALL   OF  DR.  LIVINGSTON.  163 

they  thought   necessary,  they  were   always  to  have   one 
professor  or  teacher  well  versed  in  the  English  language  ! 

The  location  of  this  college  created  no  little  discussion. 
The  body  of  the  church  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson 
River ;  but  should  not  the  college  be  located  at  a  point 
as  accessible  as  possible  to  the  German  churches  in  Penn- 
sylvania? Two  German  ministers — viz.,  Revs.  Philip  Wy- 
berg  and  Jonathan  du  Bois — had  been  named  in  the  charter 
as  trustees.  The  location  was  finally  determined  for  New 
Brunswick  in  preference  to  Hackensack,  as  the  region  of 
the  Raritan  subscribed  most  liberally-  for  its  endowment. 
But  the  charter  was  obtained  by  a  party,  and  it  could  not 
at  once  succeed.  If,  instead  of  the  "expensive  and  repress- 
ive educational  routine  "  of  the  Conferentie,  which  had 
paralyzed  all  extension  and  left  vacant  about  two  thirds 
of  the  pulpits  of  the  church,  the  plans  of  the  Coetus  had 
been  earlier  adopted,  how  much  better  it  would  have  been 
for  the  denomination  !  And  if  the  claims  of  this  college, 
had  been  more  quickly  recognized,  how  much  more  rapid 
would  have  been  its  progress!  As  in  every  good  cause, 
however,  patience  was  still  needed,  and  the  ways  of  Provi- 
dence would,  ultimately  vindicate  themselves. 

With  the  completion  of  the  Fulton  Street  Church,  and 
the  necessity  of  another  English  preacher,  the  New  York 
Consistory  determined  to  call  Dr.  Livingston  (May  30, 
1 769)  to  become  the  colleague  of  Laidlie,  Ritzema,  and 
De  Ronde.  He  arrived  in  New  York  on  September  3, 
1770.  His  piety  was  of  the  highest  character;  his  educa- 
tion abroad  placed  him  above  reproach  ;  while  his  learning 
commanded  the  respect  of  all.  The  neutral  position  of  his 
church  gave  him  peculiar  advantages.  His  reputation 
soon  gained  for  him  an  extensive  acquaintance  with  the 
ministers  of  both  parties.  The  church  was  weary  and 
ashamed  of  strife,  and  was  praying  for  peace.      He  had 


1 64  TH^  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

obtained  from  the  Synod  of  North  Holland  the  reference 
of  this  whole  subject  of  union  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam, 
with  power.  This  simplified  matters.  He  brought  over 
a  plan  provisionally  indorsed  by  the  Classis,  similar  to  the 
former  plan,  but  omitting  any  proposition  to  unite  with 
Princeton  or  King's  College.  This  plan  was  discussed 
privately  and  by  correspondence  for  a  year.  At  length, 
when  all  things  seemed  to  be  ready,  he  proposed  to  his 
Consistory  to  invite  a  general  convention  of  the  churches 
to  consider  plans  of  union.  This  was  heartily  agreed  to. 
The  following  is  the. invitation  :^ 

"  Reverend  :  The  mournful  circumstances  of  the  Low 
Dutch  Reformed  churches  in  this  land  are  too  well  known 
to  all  to  render  it  necessary  to  relate  the  same  to  you,  M^ho 
are  so  well  acquainted  with  the  discords  existing,  and  are 
so  ready  to  heal  the  breach  of  Joseph.  We  hope  that  the 
long-delayed  desire,  which  has  made  so  many  hearts  sick, 
is  now  at  last  come  to  pass.  May  it  be  as  a  tree  of  life  ! 
We  know  that  letters  have  come  from  the  brethren  of  the 
Rev.  Classis  of  Amsterdam  to  the  Conferentie,  and  also  to 
those  of  the  Coetus ;  and  they  have  likewise  written  to  us, 
approving  our  efforts  to  join  the  hands  of  the  brethren 
and,  if  possible,  promote  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of 
the  church.  We  are  greatly  inclined  to  this,  and  think 
that  a  general  meeting  should  be  held  this  autumn.  We 
leave  it  to  your  better  judgment,  and  desire  not  to  dictate ; 
but  since  it  necessarily  comes  before  us,  and  we  are  con- 
scious that  your  inclination  is  for  union,  we  offer  our  ser- 
vices to  help  in  any  way  for  the  attainment  of  that  great 
end.  Since  this  city  is  the  most  suitable  place  for  meet- 
ing, and  the  middle  of  October  the  best  time,  in  view  of 

I  "  Anist.  Cor.,"  Letter  1107. 


THE    UNION  CONVENTION.  165 

the  season  of  the  year,  we  fraternally  request  you,  each 
with  an  elder,  to  come  to  New  York  on  the  third  Tuesday 
of  October  next,  being  the  15th  of  the  month,  in  order 
then,  if  it  please  the  Lord,  to  establish  a  firm  and  endur- 
ing church  constitution.  With  invocation  of  all  health 
and  blessing  upon  your  persons  and  the  congregations 
committed  to  you,  we  have  the  honor  to  remain.  Rev.  and 
Honored  Brethren, 

"  Your  affect.  Servants  and  Brethren  in  the  Lord, 
"J.  H.  Livingston,  Prest.  p.  t. 

"N.  Y.,  in  our  Consistory  meeting,  Sept.  4,  1771." 

THE    UNION    CONVENTION    (1771). 

The  wished-for  day  (October  15,  i  771)  at  length  ar- 
rived. Everything  was  propitious.  Dr.  Livingston  had 
been  appointed  by  his  Consistory  to  welcome  the  dele- 
gates. De  Ronde,  formerly  one  of  the  most  strenuous  of 
the  Conferentie,  was  appointed  to  preach  a  sermon.  This 
he  did  on  Ephesians  vi.  23  :  "  Peace  be  to  the  brethren, 
and  love  with  faith,  from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  It  was  an  elegant  and  impressive  dis- 
course, before  a  vast  assembly,  and  in  which  he  thanked 
the  brethren  for  their  willingness  to  convene  for  the  pur- 
pose of  peace  and  unity,  and  urged  them  to  the  same. 
He  expressed  his  heartiest  wishes  foi*  success  in  their  en- 
deavors. This  was  a  most  happy  beginning.  Dr.  Living- 
ston was  elected  president,  while  the  learned  Rysdyck  and 
the  universally  respected  Westerlo  were  chosen  clerks. 
Out  of  the  thirty-four  ministers  and  the  more  than  one  hun- 
dred churches  now  composing  the  denomination,  twenty- 
two  ministers  and  twenty-five  elders,  representing  in  all 
thirty-four  churches,  were  present.  Of  the  whole  ministry 
of  the  church  at  this  time  (1771)  fifteen  were  Europeans, 


1 66  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

eight  of  whom  were  in  this  convention ;  eleven  had  been 
ordained  in  America,  nine  of  whom  were  present ;  while 
there  were  eight  ministers  remaining  of  those  who  had 
gone  to  Holland  for  ordination,  of  whom  five  were  present. 
As  to  the  parties  into  which  the  church  was  divided,  while 
several  on  either  side  had  died,  there  were  now  eleven 
ministers  recognized  as  belonging  to  the  Conferentie,  of 
whom  seven  were  in  this  convention;  there  were  thirteen 
acknowledged  Coetus  men,  of  whom  ten  were  present ;  and 
there  were  ten  accounted  more  or  less  neutral,  of  whom 
five  were  present.  Westerlo  was  accounted  a  neutral  in 
the  convention,  although  his  name  appears  the  year  before 
in  the  charter  of  Queen's  College,  which  was  secured  by 
the  Coetus  party.  It  is  also  remarkable  that  he  did  not 
finally  sign  the  Articles  of  Union,  but  no  doubt  because  his 
congregation  yet  stood  aloof. 

A  committee  of  twelve  was  appointed,  representing 
equally  the  three  sections  of  the  convention,  and  com- 
posed equally  of  ministers  and  elders.  The  Conferentie 
was  represented  by  De  Ronde  and  Rysdyck,  with  Elders 
Van  Zandt  and  Snediker.  De  Ronde  had  passed  through 
a  bitter  experience,  and  came  to  the  work  of  reconciliation 
with  a  chastened  spirit.  His  almost  involuntary  lead  of 
the  "  Dutch  party  "  for  several  years  previously,  and  their 
utter  discomfiture  in  the  lawsuit,  and  great  pecuniary  ex- 
pense, with  the  rich  spiritual  success  of  Laidlie's  preaching 
in  English,  softened  his  heart,  and  qualified  him  to  utter 
the  opening  sermon  on  peace  and  love ;  while  Rysdyck, 
who  alone  of  his  party  was  willing  to  indorse  the  pre\'ious 
Plan  of  Union  with  Princeton,  had  thereby  manifested  his 
pacific  disposition. 

The  Coetus  was  represented  by  Hardenbergh  and  Ver- 
bryck,  with  the  elders  Fisl>er  and  Zabriskie.  All  of  these 
had  been  named  a  year  and  a  half  before  among  the  orig- 


.     PLANS   OF  PEACE,  1 67 

inal  trustees  of  Queen's  College.  It  must  have  required 
no  little  grace  in  such  enterprising  men  to  ignore  all  refer- 
ence to  their  new  charter  in  the  Plan  of  Union ;  or  did 
these  far-sighted  men  understand  that  though  their  col- 
lege must  for  the  moment  be  ignored,  circumstances  would 
surely,  in  time,  make  its  necessity  felt? 

The  neutral  brethren  were  represented  by  Livingston 
and  Westerlo,  with  the  elders  Roosevelt  and  Gansevoort. 
Westerlo,  for  eleven  years,  had  preserved  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  both  parties,  while  he  had  formally  unfted 
with  neither.  Dr.  Livingston  was,  of  course,  the  principal 
agent  in  the  whole  transaction. 

The  plan  ^  brought  from  Holland,  and  already  indorsed 
provisionally,  was  now  presented.  It  was  admirably 
adapted  to  conciliate  all  parties.  Only  slight  amend- 
ments were  made,  when  it  was  unanimously  adopted  in 
the  committee.  The  Assembly  likewise  adopted  it  with- 
out a  dissenting  voice.  It  was  to  have  no  force  until 
finally  approved  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam.  This  sat- 
isfied the  Conferentie,  while  the  substantial  independence 
gained  satisfied  the  Coetus. 

The  preamble  acknowledged  a  bond  of  union  with  the 
church  in  Holland,  but  stated  that  certain  misunderstand- 
ings had  grown  up  respecting  it ;  and  to  prevent  these 
misunderstandings  in  the  future,  and  in  accordance  with 
the  advice  of  the  Classis,  they  now  united  and  pledged 
themselves  to  regulate  their  ecclesiastical  government  and 
union  with  the  mother-church  in  Holland  in  the  following 
manner: 

They  would  abide  by  the  doctrines  of  the  Netherland 

1  Document  11 10  in  "  Amst.  Cor."  See  "  Manual,"  1869,  p.  10.  Sev- 
eral translations  of  this  have  been  made.  The  one  in  "  Minutes  of  Gen- 
eral Synod,"  vol.  i.,  pp.  1-20,  was  made  by  Rev.  William  Demarest,  about 
1856.  Dr.  Schoonmaker's  translation  is  found  as  an  Appendix  to  "  Minutes 
of  General  Synod  of  1815,"  vol.  ii. 


1 68  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

Reformed  Church  and  its  constitution  as  established  in 
the  Synod  of  Dort.  One  general  body  and  five  particular 
bodies  were  to  be  organized,  which  were  to  meet  annually. 
This  general  body  was  to  assume  the  long-desired  priva- 
lege  of  licensing  and  ordaining  men  to  the  ministry ;  but 
the  names  of  all  such,  together  with  the  names  of  all  newly 
called  ministers,  and  of  such  as  changed  their  vocations, 
were  to  be  transmitted  to  Holland  for  registratioji,  together 
with  a  copy  of  their  acts  from  year  to  year.  Appeals  viiglit 
als(5  be  carried  to  Holland.  One  or  more  professors  were 
to  be  chosen  from  the  Netherlands  with  the  advice  of  the 
Classis,  but  they  were  to  have  no  connection  with  ajiy 
E7iglisJi  academics.  This  plainly  refers  to  King's  College 
and  to  Princeton.  Does  it  also  include  New  Brunswick? 
But  inasmuch  as  this  professorship  could  not  become 
available  for  a  considerable  time,  those  students  who  had 
studied  under  different  ministers  were  to  be  provisionally 
examined  in  the  next  General  Assembly. 

Certain  articles  were  added  respecting  the  healing  of 
disputes  and  the  recognition  of  ministers  whom  the  Coetus 
had  ordained  without  permission.  This  whole  plan  was 
to  be  ratified  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  before  it  was 
of  any  binding  authority.  Upon  its  indorsement  by  the 
convention,  "  each  member  shall  provisionally  give  the 
other  the  hand  of  fellowship,  in  hope  that  the  reverend 
Classis,  as  well  as  our  congregations,  will  approve  this 
plan." 

Copies  of  this  plan  were  then  transmitted  to  the  several 
churches  and  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and  arrange- 
ments made  for  another  meeting  as  soon  as  answers  were 
received. 

A  letter  from  the  convention  to  the  Classis  ^   accom- 

1  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Letter  mi ;  this  was  printed  in  the  "Christian  Intelli- 
gencer," August  19,  1852. 


THE   CLASSICAL  LETTER.  169 

panied  the  plan,  and  another  from  the  New  York  Consis- 
tory. 1  Answers  of  congratulation  were  received.  In  their 
reply  to  the  New  York  Consistory  (January  14,  1772)  the 
Classis  says :  "  Concerning  the  professorate,  we  can  deter- 
mine nothing — that  must  be  left  to  the  general  meeting  of 
the  brethren;  meanwhile  it  occurs  that,  possibly,  in  the 
pressing  necessity  there  is  for  a  professor  of  theology,  the 
brethren  might  find  in  their  own  body  a  suitable  person, 
who,  though  not  born  in  the  Netherlands,  has  studied  and 
received  his  ordination  there."- 

A  second  convention  was  now  called,  according  to  ar- 
rangement (June  16,  I  772). 3  Twenty-six  ministers  were 
present  and  forty-three  elders.  The  Classical  letter  to  the 
convention,  approving  the  Plan  of  Union,  was  read,  to  the 
general  joy  of  all.      It  is  as  follows  \^ 

THE    LETTER    OF   THE    CLASSIS    OF    AMSTERDAM. 

"  To  the  Convention  of  United  Brethren,  ]\Iinisters,  and 
Elders  of  the  Reformed  DiitcJi  Churches  in  Nezv  York 
and  Nezv  Jersey  : 

"  Reverend  and  Much-respected  Brethren  :  We 
received  your  friendly  letter,  with  the  accompanying  docu- 
ments, dated  October  i8th,  just  previous  to  the  close  of 
the  year,  and  in  season  to  present  them  at  the  first  Classi- 
cal meeting  in  the  new  year,  that  they  might  take  them 
into  consideration,  and  communicate  the  result  of  their 
deliberations  as  speedily  as  practicable.  We  have  learned 
from  the  documents  you  have  sent  to  us,  with  great  joy, 
that  the  God  of  peace  has  inclined  the  hearts  of  the  breth- 
ren, long  divided  by  unhappy  contention,  to  seek  delight- 
ful peace  and  reunion  in  brotherly  love ;  so  that,  by  the 

1  Letter  11 12.  2  Letter  11 22.  3  Document  1128. 

*  "  Amst.  Cor.,"  Letter  1121. 


1 70  THE  REFOK^MED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

friendly  invitation  of  tiie  Consistory  of  the  church  in  New 
York,  most  of  them  assembled  in  that  city,  and,  after  a 
session  of  four  days,  were  reconciled  and  united  to  each 
other.  We  also  learn  that  the  absent  brethren,  mostly 
prevented  by  circumstances  of  a  domestic  nature,  have 
given  the  assured  hope  that  they  will  be  satisfied  with  the 
Plan  of  Union.  We  have  not  in  a  long  time  been  so  much 
rejoiced  by  gratifying  intelligence  from  our  churches  in 
foreign  lands  as  by  that  now  received  from  you,  which  is 
'  good  tidings  from  a  far  country,'  like  water  refreshing 
to  our  souls,  weary  and  thirsty  by  reason  of  our  former 
correspondence  in  relation  to  existing  difficulties.  Well 
may  we,  in  the  congregation  of  God's  people,  offer  up  our 
joyful  songs  of  praise  to  the  God  of  peace.  We  desire 
with  our  whole  hearts,  and  in  pure,  disinterested  love  to 
the  brethren  of  the  church,  that  this  peace  and  union  may 
be  universal  and  prove  perpetual.  The  pious  zeal  of  the 
Consistory  of  New  York,  the  willingness  and  readiness  of 
the  brethren  to  respond  to  their  invitation  to  assemble  in 
convention,  the  pious  and  edifying  character  of  their  delib- 
erations during  their  session  of  four  days,  and  the  declared 
assent  of  most  of  their  absent  brethren,  conspire  to  war- 
rant the  well-grounded  hope  that  such  will  be  the  result. 
In  order  speedily  to  confirm  and  bring  to  conclusion  this 
sacred  work  of  peace,  and  to  allow  no  languor  or  delay, 
we  have  in  our  Classical  meeting  attentively  read  and 
maturely  considered  the  proposed  articles  adopted  by  the 
brethren  present  as  a  basis  of  union.  These  articles  essen- 
tially correspond  with  the  plan  heretofore  proposed  by  us, 
and  appear  to  be  wisely  adapted  to  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances and  condition  of  the  churches  of  New  York  and 
New  Jersey.  The  Classis,  cordially  desirous  to  see  peace 
and  harmony  restored  and  established  among  their  breth- 
ren in  the  common  faith  in  America,  wish  it  to  be  exten- 


THE    CLASSICAL    LETTER.  171 

sively  published  that  they  have  heartily  and  unanimously 
approved  the  Plan  of  Union,  without  proposing  any  altera- 
tion or  addition ;  and  they  express  their  ardent  hope  that 
the  brethren  not  present  at  the  convention  lately  held  in 
New  York  may  be  animated  with  the  same  zeal  for  the 
attainment  of  peace  and  harmony,  and  adopt  the  Plan  of 
Union  without  suggesting  any  material  alteration. 

"  We  trust  that  our  full  approbation  will  tend  to  promote 
this  most  desirable  end  in  your  entire  unanimity.  Still 
the  general  convention  of  the  united  brethren  and  churches 
not  only  claims  the  freedom,  but  (according  to  the  import 
of  the  articles  now  approved  by  us)  feels  itself  bound 
further  to  make  such  stipulations  and  additions  as  the 
interests  and  welfare  of  the  churches  may  require.  We 
therefore  request  the  brethren  who  have  signed  the  arti- 
cles of  the  Plan  of  Union  (having  entire  confidence  in  their 
love  of  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  peace)  to  employ  all 
their  efforts  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  proposed  object, 
and  especially  to  seek  the  reconciliation  of  the  church  at 
Kingston  with  their  minister,  Rev.  H.  Meyer.  We  are 
rejoiced  to  hear  that  he  yielded,  with  the  other  brethren, 
his  full  approbation  to  the  Articles  of  Union,  and  hope  that 
the  reconciliation  between  him  and  the  church  may  soon 
be  effected,  through  the  kind  mediation  of  the  brethren, 
unto  mutual  satisfaction  and  rejoicing.  We  cheer  ourselves 
with  the  hope  which  you  have  expressed  to  us,  that  when 
our  ready  and  full  approbation  of  the  Articles  of  Union  shall 
be  sent  to  those  particular  churches  which  have  not  signed 
them,  it  will  exert  such  a  strong  influence  as  to  lead  to 
their  acquiescence  and  approbation.  Thus  a  speedy  adop- 
tion of  the  articles  as  conditions  of  peace  will,  before  long, 
bring  to  an  end  all  divisions  and  dissensions,  cause  them  to 
be  ever  forgotten,  and  unite  the  hearts  of  the  brethren  so 
closely  that  they  shall  continually  remain  a  well-cemented 


172  THE   REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

body,  abiding  in  one  spirit,  and  with  one  accord  striving 
for  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  Thus  shall  the  mother-church 
of  the  Netherlands  remain  in  close  connection  with  her 
daughter  dwelling  in  a  distant  country,  in  the  unity  of  faith 
and  love,  and  built  on  one  common  constitution.  Thus, 
also,  the  churches  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey  may  suc- 
cessfully appeal  to  the  civil  authorities,  with  good  hope  of 
success,  for  the  maintenance  of  their  ecclesiastical  freedom 
and  privileges,  preserving  fully  the  character  of  Reformed 
Dutch  churches,  as  originally  organized.  Thus  may  our 
Reformed  Church  in  your  land,  in  the  midst  of  so  many 
denominations  as  surround  her,  exhibit  the  beautiful  and 
attractive  appearance  of  the  Lamb's  bridal  church,  '  fair 
as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners.'  Over  your  peaceful  church,  animated  by 
truth  and  love,  inseparable,  united,  God  will  command  his 
'blessing,  even  life  forevermore,'  even  as  '  on  a  habitation 
of  righteousness  and  a  mountain  of  holiness,'  the  fragrance 
of  which  shall  spread  all  around,  and  attract  many  to  her 
communion,  as  members  of  the  'one  body  in  Christ.' 
Nothing  can  prove  more  delightful  to  us  who  have,  with 
a  disinterested  spirit,  strongly  exhorted  the  brethren  to  a 
reconciliation  and  union,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  a  close 
correspondence  with  the  Reformed  Church  of  Holland,  and 
continued  attachment  to  her  faith  and  order,  than  hence- 
forth to  see  the  churches  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey  a 
true  Philadelphia,  where  the  Lord  loves  to  dwell.  For  this 
end  we  entreat,  in  behalf  of  the  brethren  and  churches, 
the  direction  of  the  '  wisdom  which  is  from  above,  which 
is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated, 
full  of  good  fruits,  without  partiality,  and  without  hypoc- 
risy.' May  the  hearts  of  all  flow  together  into  one,  and 
be  bound  together  in  love,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfect- 
ness.      Thus  '  the  fruit  of  ri«fhteousness  shall  be  sown  in 


GROWTH  OF   THE   CHURCH.  173 

peace  of  them  that  make  peace  ' ;  yea,  the  God  of  peace 
shall  impart  the  earnest  of  salvation,  to  those  on  whom  he 
pronounces  the  blessedness  of  the  peacemaker,  and  furnish 
therein  the  evidence  of  their  heavenly  sonship.  Commend- 
ing you  to  God's  manifold  and  best  blessing  for  this  and 
continued  years,  yourselves,  your  families,  your  churches 
and  ecclesiastical  assemblies, 

"  We  remain,  reverend  and  respected  brethren,  with  true 
brotherly  love  and  regard,  your  fellow-servants  and  breth- 
ren in  Christ, 

"  N.  Tetterode, 
"V.D.AT.  Aj/ist.  et  Depiitatorum  CI  as  sis 
ad  res  exteras,  h.  t.  Praescs. 

"JOHANNIS  ArN.  EcK, 
"V.D.M.  Amst.  ct  Dcp.  Classis  ad 
res  exteras,  h.  t.  p.  Scriba. 

"Amsterdam:   done  in  Classical  Session,  Jan.  14,  1772." 

The  Plan  of  Union  was  now  subscribed  by  almost  all  the 
delegates  present,  and  arrangements  were  made  for  the  sub- 
scription of  those  congregations  not  represented,  by  insert- 
ing the  plan  in  the  minutes  of  the  new  Classes  which  were 
about  to  be  organized.  During  the  sixteen  years  of  divis- 
ion the  Coetus  had  ordained  nine  men,  and  the  Confer- 
entie  but  a  single  one.  Thirteen  ministers  had  come  from 
Holland  during  the  same  period  to  serve  the  churches, 
which  were  now  about  one  hundred  in  number  (1772). 
Twenty-seven  of  these  had  been  organized  during  the 
period  of  strife,  not  from  strife  in  general,  but  from  neces- 
sity. A  half-dozen  or  more  of  the  whole  number  had 
originally  been  French  Reformed,  and  about  twenty  Ger- 
man Reformed  (all  in  the  province  of  New  Netherland), 
most  of  which  were  gradually  Hollandized,  and  ultimately 
Anglicized,  as  to  language.    In  these  one  hundred  churches, 


174  '^'^^^   REFORMED    CHURCH,   DITCH.  [Chap.  v. 

during  the  century  and  a  half  of  colonial  dependence,  one 
hundred  and  twelve  ministers  had  officiated,  of  whom 
thirty-four  were  living  at  the  union  of  the  two  parties. 

THE  TRANSITIONAL  PERIOD   (1771-92). 

The  church  was  now  substantially  independent,  but 
twenty-one  years  more  were  required  before  it  dared  to 
assert  unequivocally  its  majority  by  a  new  constitution. 
The  Articles  of  Union  betray  the  extreme  delicacy  of  the 
situation  :  "  We  organize  .  .  .  such  ecclesiastical  bodies  as 
are  consistent  with  the  government  and  constitution  of  the 
Church  of  the  Netherlands,  and  ojtr  relation  to  the  same,  and 
under  such  titles  as  shall  hereafter  be  deterniiued.  They 
shall  provisionally  be  called  a  General  Body  and  Particular 
Bodies."  These  bodies  corresponded  in  every  respect  to 
a  Synod  and  Classes,  except  that  the  Particular  Bodies 
were  not  allowed  to  license  and  ordain  men  for  the  min- 
istry. They  could  approve  of  calls  made  on  ordained  min- 
isters, but  not  of  calls  made  on  candidates.  Even  this 
was  yet  jealously  reserved  to  the  General  Body.  It  had 
once  been  claimed  that  the  Coetus,  according  to  church 
order,  was  an  anomalous  body.  There  does  not  appear 
any  reference  to  the  fact  that  the  present  arrangement 
was  equally  anomalous.  A  few  ministers  and  churches 
continued  to  stand  aloof  from  this  union  for  several  years, 
but  in  the  main  harmony  was  restored,  and  the  two  parties 
cordially  cooperated ;  for  it  was  not  policy  now  which 
chiefly  bound  them  together,  but  CHRISTIAN  LOVE. 

The  time  of  the  new  General  Body,  until  the  opening 
of  the  war,  was  occupied  with  efforts  to  conciliate  the  few 
outstanding  congregations,  to  establish  peace  and  harmony  ■ 
in  certain  districts  where  strife  had  reigned,  in  discussing 
the  best  manner  of  initiating  a  ministerial  Widows'  Fund, 


REVOLUTIONARY   WAR.  I  75 

and  especially  in  considering  that  great  and  most  important 
subject  of  all,  the  PROFESSORATE.  Each  of  the  Particu- 
lar Bodies  likewise  deliberated  upon  this  topic  from  year 
to  year. 

Negotiations  were  begun,  within  a  year  and  a  half  after 
the  consummation  of  the  union  (October,  1773),  between 
the  trustees  of  Queen's  College  and  the  church.  The 
trustees  had  raised,  within  two  years  after  their  charter 
was  granted,  funds  from  New  Jersey  alone,  for  the  endow- 
ment of  the  college,  to  the  amount  of  $20,000.  The}/  now 
wrote  1  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  and  to  the  theological 
faculty  of  the  University  of  Utrecht,  asking  them  to  recom- 
mend a  proper  person  to  be  both  president  of  their  col- 
lege and  professor  of  divinity  therein,  believing  that  such 
an  arrangement  would  also  recommend  their  institution  to 
the  approval  of  the  church.  They  urged  upon  the  church 
that  New  Brunswick  was  the  most  proper  place  for  the  pro- 
fessor's residence.  The  college  was  already  located  there, 
and  they  would  call  the  professor  elected  by  the  church 
as  the  president  of  their  institution,  thus  lightening  the 
burden  of  expense  for  each.  The  General  Body  was 
pleased  with  the  plan,  but  the  recent  division  was  yet  too 
fresh  to  make  it  practicable. 

But  the  colonial  period  was  about  to  end.  A  dark  war- 
cloud  was  beginning  to  loom  up  ominously  on  the  horizon. 
The  "  Sons  of  Liberty  "  were  busily  at  work.  Two  months 
before  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  the  church  appointed  a 
day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  evils  which 
seemed  to  be  threatening  the  land.  During  the  mighty 
struggle  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  was  in  hearty  sym- 
pathy with  the  cause  of  freedom.  Her  pulpits  "  rang  with 
stirring  appeals  which  roused  the  patriotic  ardor  and  in- 
spired the  martial  courage  of  the  people."     The  scene  of 

1  Letters  1 137,  1138,  1142,  1 143. 


176  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

the  war  was  chiefly  on  the  territory  of  the  Dutch  Church, 
and  not  a  few  of  her  church-buildings  were  destroyed,  and 
her  ministers  were  often  driven  from  their  homes. ^  The 
church  memoriahzed  the  legislature  of  New  York  in  1780, 
speaking  of  the  present  JUST  AND  NECESSARY  WAR.  At 
its  close,  Domine  Rubel  was  deposed  for  certain  immoral- 
ities and  for  his  Toryism.  The  mere  mention  of  the 
names  of  Schuneman,  Hardenbergh,  Foering,  Romeyn, 
Livingston,  Westerlo,  Du  Bois,  Leydt,  and  many  others 
in  the  ministry,  at  once  suggests  the  stories  of  their 
patriotism. 

As  soon  as  independence  was  gained  it  was  resolved  to 
drop  the  awkward  names  of  General  Body  and  Particular 
Bodies,  and  to  assume  the  names  of  Synod  and  Classes.  In 
the  same  year  the  Synod  elected  Dr.  John  H.  Livingston 
as  their  professor  of  theology,  and  Dr.  Hermanus  Meyer  as 
instructor  in  the  inspired  languages.  In  1788  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  translate  and  publish  the  doctrinal  sym- 
bols of  the  church  and  the  Articles  of  Church  Government. 
In  reference  to  the  latter  some  modifications  were  found 
to  be  necessary  to  adapt  them  to  the  American  church. 
Hence,  while  preserving  the  eighty-four  Articles  of  Dort 
on  Church  Order,  there  were  added  to  these  seventy-three 
Explanatory  Articles,  showing  how  the  former  were  to  be 
applied  to  the  American  Dutch  Church. 

The  Explanatory  Articles  particularly  enlarged  on  the 
subject  of  candidates,  their  qualifications,  the  manner  of 
their  entering  the  ministry,  and  the  privileges  which  be- 
longed to  them  as  such ;  a  formula  which  licentiates  must 
subscribe  was  also  incorporated,  as  well  as  a  formula  for 
the  subscriptions  of  ministers  before  ordination.  Article 
VIII.  of  Dort  permitted  dispensations  from  the  full  course 
of  studies  by  permission  of  the  Synod.     No  remarks  were 

1  See  Dr.  J.  A.  Todd's  "  Centennial  Discourse,"  1876. 


EXPLANATORY  ARTICLES.  I  77 

made  upon  this.  The  subject  of  ministers  emeriti  was 
somewhat  enlarged  upon,  as  well  as  the  parity  of  minis- 
ters, styling  them  all  BISHOPS.  The  brief  Article  XVIII. 
of  Dort,  relating  to  professors  of  theology,  was  elaborated 
into  seven  Explanatory  Articles.  The  particular  duties 
of  elders  and  deacons  were  explained  more  fully,  as  well 
as  the  desirability  of  calling  a  Great  Consistory  in  all  im- 
portant matters.  An  article  was  added  on  CJinrch-viasters 
(Ex.  Art.  XXX.),  who  were  a  committee  on  repairs  of 
churches,  parsonages,  and  school-buildings,  and  who  were 
to  execute  the  orders  of  the  Consistory.  The  brief  Article 
XXXVII.  of  Dort  on  Consistories  was  elaborated  into  five 
Explanatory  Articles,  referring  to  discipline  and  the  mat- 
ter of  ministerial  calls.  Our  present  form  of  call  was  now 
for  the  first  prepared  and  inserted.  It  was  composed  by 
Domine  Westerlo.  The  particular  powers  and  duties  of 
the  Classes  were  more  fully  defined  in  some  particulars. 
The  power  of  examining  students  was  given  to  the  Classes, 
although  a  student  or  licentiate  could  yet  be  examined  by 
the  Particular  Synod  if  he  so  preferred.  The  deputies  of 
the  Synod  were  always  to  be  present  at  examinations  by 
the  Classes,  and  to  report  to  the  Synod. 

The  Article  XLI.  of  Dort,  directing  the  president  of 
the  Classis  to  inquire  of  the  respective  members  "  whether 
church  discipline  be  exercised ;  whether  the  poor  and  the 
schools  be  properly  taken  care  of ;  and  whether  they  stand 
in  need  of  the  advice  and  assistance  of  the  Classis  in  any- 
thing respecting  the  regulation  of  their  churches  "  ;  and 
Article  XLIV.,  directing  each  Classis  to  appoint  visitors, 
"  whose  business  it  shall  be  to  inquire  whether  the  minis- 
ters. Consistories,  and  schoolmasters  do  faithfully  discharge 
their  offices ;  whether  they  adhere  to  sound  doctrine ; 
whether  they  observe  in  all  things  the  received  discipline," 
etc.,    were    expounded    in    Explanatory    Article    XLIV. : 


178  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

"  Once  every  year  the  Classis  shall  direct  what  shall  be 
deemed  necessary  and  practicable  with  regard  to  the  visi- 
tation of  the  churches  within  their  respective  jurisdictions, 
and  report  the  same  to  the  Synod.  For  the  more  uniform 
and  proper  execution  of  this  important  duty,  such  particu- 
lar questions  and  inquiries  as  shall  be  agreed  upon  in  any 
General  Synod  for  that  purpose  shall  be  inserted  in  the 
book  of  records  of  every  Classis,  and  by  the  visitors  be 
faithfully  proposed  to  the  minister,  elders,  and  deacons  of 
every  congregation  in  their  respective  visitations." 

The  particular  powers  and  duties  of  the  General  Synod 
and  of  Particular  Synods  were  more  fully  defined.  The 
latter  were  to  be  representative  bodies,  consisting  of  two 
ministers  and  two  elders  from  each  Classis.  They  might 
yet  examine  and  license  students.  They  were  "  to  ex- 
change every  year  a  copy  of  their  acts  with  the  Synod  of 
North  Holland,  and  express  in  their  letters  the  desire  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  America  to  preserve  a  connection 
and  cultivate  a  correspondence  which  they  highly  esteem 
and  have  found  to  be  beneficial"  (Ex.  Art.  L.). 

It  had  been  found  impracticable  in  Holland  to  hold  a 
triennial  General  Synod  (notwithstanding  Article  L.  of  Dort 
so  directed),  owing  chiefly  to  certain  civil  complications. 
Hence  the  several  Particular  Synods  in  Holland  exercised 
each  the  powers  of  a  General  Synod  within  their  respective 
local  jurisdictions,  and  adopted  a  mutual  correspondence. 
The  General  Synod  in  Holland,  according  to  the  above 
article,  was  to  consist  of  two  ministers  and  two  elders 
from  every  Particular  Synod  both  of  the  Dutch  and  Wal- 
loon Churches.  But  in  America  it  was  determined  that 
the  General  Synod  should  be  conventional,  consisting  of 
all  the  ministers  in  the  church  and  an  elder  from  each 
congregation.  It  was  to  meet  triennially.  The  General 
Synod,  however,  was  given  the  privilege  of  changing  its 


ADOPTION  OF   THE    CONSTITUTION.  179 

conventional  character  to  a  representative  character  by 
resolution. 

Explanatory  Article  LIX.  is  also  worthy  of  special  men- 
tion, as  showing  the  position  of  the  church  at  that  time  on 
slavery :  "  In  the  church  there  is  no  difference  between 
bond  and  free,  but  all  are  one  in  Christ.  Whenever,  there- 
fore, slaves  or  black  people  shall  be  baptized,  or  become 
members  in  full  communion  of  the  church,  they  shall  be 
admitted  to  equal  privileges  with  all  other  members  of  the 
same  standing ;  and  their  infant  children  shall  be  entitled 
to  baptism,  and  in  every  respect  be  treated  with  the  same 
attention  that  the  children  of  white  or  free  parents  are  in 
the  church.  Any  minister  who,  upon  any  pretense,  shall 
refuse  to  admit  slaves  or  their  children  to  the  privileges  to 
which  they  are  entitled,  shall,  upon  complaint  being  ex- 
hibited and  proved,  be  severely  reprimanded  by  the  Classis 
to  which  he  belongs." 

The  subject  of  godparents  or  sponsors  was  declared  to 
be  a  matter  of  little  importance.  The  subject  of  catechis- 
ing children  was  emphasized,  as  well  as  that  of  pastoral  visi- 
tations. The  subject  of  holy  days  was  referred  to,  advis- 
ing ministers,  at  their  discretion,  to  preach  on  those  days, 
so  as  to  turn  people  from  idleness  unto  edifying  themes. 

The  Synod  reviewed  this  whole  work  seriatim  in  1792, 
and  formally  adopted  it.  The  General  Synod  was  organ- 
ized on  June  3,  1794,  and  the  old  Synod  became  a  Par- 
ticular Synod.  For  a  decade  preceding,  the  terms  General 
and  Particular  had  been  applied  indiscriminately  to  the  old 
body.  During  this  transitional  period  no  ministers  came 
from  Holland.  The  General  Body  or  Synod  licensed  and 
ordained  thirty-seven  men  for  the  ministry,  and  directed 
the  Classis  of  Hackensack  to  license  and  ordain  one  in  their 
name — viz.,  Isaac  Blauvelt — in  1780.  This  was  done  be- 
cause sickness  had  twice  prevented  him  from  meeting  with 


l8o  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.         [Chap.  v. 

the  Synod.  Eleven  of  these  men  had  entered  the  minis- 
try before  the  appointment  of  the  professor,  and  twenty- 
seven  had  subsequently  produced  the  professor's  certificate. 
William  Linn  had  come  from  the  Presbyterians  in  17S7, 
and  Winslow  Paige  from  the  Congregationalists  in  1 792  ; 
Peter  van  Vlierden  had  come  from  the  West  Indies  in  the 
same  year.  There  were  forty-one  accessions  to  the  min- 
istry, and  thirty  churches  organized,  during  this  period. 


PERIOD  IV. 
CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  FREEDOM. 


i8i 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   GENERAL    PROGRESS    OF   THE    CHURCH    SINCE 
1792. 

During  the  whole  preceding  period  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty-four  years  (i 628-1  792)  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church 
had  only  been  passing  through  the  successive  stages  which 
were  necessary  to  bring  her  into  her  ecclesiastical  freedom 
and  fit  her  for  her  future  work.  The  migration  of  Hol- 
land's sons  to  America,  chiefly  under  the  West  India  Com- 
pany's sway,  during  a  half-century  (1614-64),  was  merely 
the  planting  of  the  seed.  The  struggle  with  the  English 
governors  (1664-1705)  to  establish  a  church  representing 
a  very  small  minority  of  the  population  proved  to  be  the 
undesigned  cause  of  the  charters  which  the  Dutch  alone 
of  all  religious  bodies  outside  the  Episcopal  Church  were 
able  to  secure.  The  imperfect  piety  which  naturally  re- 
sulted from  these  contests  and  from  unfrequent  services 
was  followed  by  a  gracious  revival,  which  excited  many 
holy  aspirations  after  increased  usefulness  (1705-47).  In 
order  to  gratify  these  desires  came  the  period  of  associa- 
tion of  the  scattered  ministers  and  churches  (1747-54), 
who  compared  views  and  sought  more  fully  to  meet  the 
great  spiritual  necessities  of  the  people,  failing,  however, 
to  appreciate  the  importance  of  services  in  English ;  and 
when  the  earlier  plans  of  association  were  found  to  be  in- 
sufficient, better  plans  were  devised,  and  were  attempted 

18:! 


184  T^^  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi.. 

to  be  carried  into  execution  (1754).  But  a  peculiar  com- 
bination of  circumstances,  in  which  some  leaders  in  the 
church  were  allured  into  a  false  position,  produced  an  un- 
happy strife,  which  was  unduly  prolonged  (1755-71)  and 
delayed  the  consummation.  But  Christian  love  finally  pre- 
vailed, and  secured  a  union  of  the  parties  (i  771).  Hardly, 
however,  had  they  begun  their  new  work  when  the  Revo- 
lution (1776-83),  prevailing  especially  on  the  territory  of 
the  Dutch  Church,  scattered  the  ministers  and  destroyed 
not  a  few  of  the  churches.  But  with  the  success  of  civil 
liberty  came  to  all  denominations  ecclesiastical  autonomy, 
with  all  that  is  involved  therein — independent  organizations, 
a  sense  of  responsibility,  literary  and  theological  institu- 
tions, with  benevolent  boards  for  the  increase  of  Christ's 
kingdom  at  home  and  its  dissemination  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth. 

I.    HISTORY    OF   THE   CONSTITUTION. 

The  constitution  of  the  church  consists  of  its  standards 
of  doctrine,  its  liturgy,  and  its  rules  of  church  order  or 
government. 

1.  The  standards  of  doctrine  have  remained  unaltered, 
and  consist  of  the  Belgic  Confession,  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism, with  the  Compendium  of  the  same,  and  the  Canons 
of  the  Synod  of  Dort. 

2.  The  original  liturgy  consisted  of  sacramental  forms, 
forms  of  ordination  of  ministers,  of  elders  and  deacons,  with 
certain  forms  of  discipline,  marriage,  consolation  of  the  sick, 
and  various  forms  of  prayer.  The  Nicene  Creed  and  the 
Creed  of  Athanasius  are  appended,  not  to  the  standards 
of  doctrine,  but  to  the  liturgy.  Several  attempts  have  been 
made  to  revise  the  liturgy,  but  none  of  the  proposed  changes 
have  been  successful,  although  some  of  the  older  forms 


THE   CONSTITUTION.  1 85 

have  fallen  into  desuetude.  A  few  new  forms  have  been 
added,  such  as  a  form  for  the  ordination  of  missionaries,  for 
the  dedication  of  a  church,  for  the  reception  of  those  into 
full  communion  who  have  been  baptized  in  infancy,  etc. 
But  all  forms  except  the  sacramental  are  optional  as  to  use. 

3.  The  Articles  of  Church  Government,  as  adopted  at 
Dort  in  16 19,  with  the  Explanatory  Articles  adopted  in 
1792,  continued  unchanged,  except  a  few  minor  amend- 
ments, until  1832,  when  these  two  sets  of  articles  were 
thoroughly  fused  into  one  new  expression  of  church  gov- 
ernment. There  was  no  change  in  the  general  spirit  of  the 
instrument.  The  system  of  Classical  visitors,  a  remnant  of 
the  old  superintendency,  was  abolished,  and  the  series  of 
constitutional  questions  to  be  asked  of  ministers  and  elders 
once  a  year  was  now  formulated.  The  limit  of  time  for  ex- 
plaining the  system  of  doctrine  contained  in  the  Heidel- 
berg Catechism  was  now  extended  from  one  year  to  four. 
The  privilege  of  granting  dispensations  from  the  usual 
course  of  studies  required  of  those  preparing  for  the  min- 
istry was  abolished.  The  church  was  also  then  just  enter- 
ing on  its  more  systematized  aggressive  work  through  more 
fully  organized  boards. 

In  1872,  forty  years  having  again  elapsed,  a  third  revis- 
ion was  undertaken,  which  was  finally  adopted  in  1874. 
The  principal  changes  were  an  elaboration  of  the  articles 
relating  to  discipline ;  to  the  right  of  a  Classis,  by  a  two- 
thirds  vote,  to  dissolve  the  pastoral  relation,  one  of  the 
parties  being  unwilling;  and  to  the  excision  of  the  re- 
quirement of  the  attendance  of  dcputati  Synodi  at  exam- 
inations. The  privilege  of  granting  dispensations  from  tl^e 
regular  course  of  study  was  restored. 

The  ch-urch  had  been  known  previously  to  1867  as  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  or  the  Reformed  "Protestant  Dutch 
Church.     It  had  been  incorporated  in  18 19  under  the  lat- 


1 86 


THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 


ter   name.     In  1867  the  name  was  changed  to  the  RE- 
FORMED Church  in  America.^ 


II.  ecclesiastical  bodies. 

1.  CJnircJics. — The  churches  now  existing  number  six 
hundred  and  twelve.  For  details  and  Bibliography,  see 
"  Manual  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America,"  1879. 

2.  Classes. — Immediately  after  permission  was  granted 
to  hold  a  Coetus,  that  body  divided  the  church  into  Cir- 
cles. These  were  three  in  number,  viz..  New  York,  1747; 
Jersey,  1747;  Albany,  1747.  The  Circle  of  Orange  was 
formed  in  1 750.  In  i  755  an  independent  American  Classis 
was  formed,  while  an  opposition  Conference  of  a  few  min- 
isters, without  elders,  was  also  held.  In  i  764  these  min- 
isters, with  their  elders,  organized  a  body  styled  "  An 
Assembly  Subordinate  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam."  In 
1 77 1,  by  the  healing  of  the  division,  provisional  organiza- 
tions were  formed  by  the  Articles  of  Union,  under  which 
five  Particular  Bodies,  or  Classes,  were  formed,  namely, 
Albany,  Hackensack,  Kingston,  New  Brunswick,  and  New 
York.  In  all  forty-three  Classes  have  been  organized. 
These  have  been  modified  by  consolidation  and  rearrange- 
ments, so  that  at  present  there  are  thirty- five,  as  may 
be  seen  by  the  following  table,  the  extinct  names  being 
italicized  : 


New  York,  N.  Y 1772 

Albany,  N.  Y " 

New  Brunswick,  N.  J " 

Kingston,  A^.  V. 1 772-1800 

Hackensack,  N.  J. "         ". 

Bergen,  N.  J 1800 


Montgomery,  N.  Y . .    1800 

Paramus 

Poughkeepsie 

Rensselaer 

Ulster " 

Long  Island 1813-1843 


1  See  the  able  article  on   the  history  of  the  name  in  the  Appendix  to 
"  Minutes  of  General  Synod,"  1867. 


ECCLESIASTICAL   BODIES. 


187 


Philadelphia 

IVashington 1818- 

Cayitga 1826- 

Schenectady 

Schoharie 

South  Classis  of  New  York, 

1828- 

Orange 

Greene   

Passaic 

Illinois 

Michigan   


North  Classis  of  Long  Island.  . 
South  Classis  of  Long  Island.  . 

Hudson 

IVatervliet 1845- 


1814 

1857 
1889 
1826 


1876 
1832 
1834 
1839 
1841 

1843 

1845 
1857 


Holland   1851 

Geneva 1852-1887 

Westchester 1852 

Arcot  (India) 1854 

Monmouth " 

Wisconsin 1855 

Kingston 1856 

Saratoga 1857 

Raritan , 1859 

Grand  River 1870 

Newark 1872 

South  Classis  of  Bergen 1873 

Iowa 1885 

Rochester 1887 

Dakota   1888 

Pleasant  Prairie 1892 


3.  Synods. — When  the  two  parties  came  together  in 
1771  they  called  themselves  "A  Reverend  Meeting  of 
Ministers  and  Elders,"  and  only  dared  to  talk  of  a  Gen- 
eral and  certain  Particular  ecclesiastical  Bodies.  But  im- 
mediately after  the  Revolution  they  gathered  boldness  and 
resolved  to  apply  the  names  of  Synod  and  Classes  to  these 
respective  bodies.  This  original  Synod  was  a  mere  tran- 
sitional body  (1771-92)  between  the  period  of  infantile 
dependence  on  a  foreign  church  and  that  of  complete  inde- 
pendence. It  called  a  convention  in  1792,  and  a  General 
Synod,'  conventional  in  character  and  entirely  independent, 
was  organized  in  i  794,  upon  an  Americanized  constitution. 
The  old  provisional  Synod,  which  had  formerly  been  con- 
ventional, was  henceforth  to  consist  of  two  ministers  and 
two  elders  from  each  Classis,  and  this  now  took  the  char- 
acter of  a  Particular  Synod.  It  continued  to  examine 
students  equally  with  the  Classes,  upon  whom  the  power 
was  also  now  bestowed,  although  the  Classes  could  not 
do  this  without  deputies  from  the  Synod  being  present. 

1  The  General  Synod  administers  much  of  the  business  of  the  church 
through  a  Board  of  Corporation.  More  recently  the  several  benevolent  boards 
have  also  been  incorporated. 


1 88  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

In  1800  this  Particular  Synod  was  dissolved,  and  the  two 
Particular  Synods  of  New  York  and  Albany  constituted. 
After  1800  the  Particular  Synods  ceased  to  examine,  al- 
though their  right  to  do  so  continued  until  1832.  They 
met  yearly,  while  the  General  Synod  met  triennially  until 
1812.  In  1800  it  was  resolved  that  a  delegation  of  eight 
ministers  and  eight  elders  from  each  Particular  Synod 
shall  constitute  the  General  Synod,  but  not  more  than  two 
ministers  and  two  elders  were  to  be  taken  from  the  same 
Classis.  In  1809  a  new  organization  was  deemed  expedi- 
ent. A  delegation  of  three  ministers  and  three  elders  from 
each  Classis  was  agreed  to,  and  in  18 12,  also,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  hold  annual  sessions.  In  the  revised  constitu- 
tion of  1874  all  Classes  having  more  than  fifteen  churches 
were  allowed  one  additional  minister  and  elder  for  each 
additional  five  churches.  In  1856  the  Particular  Synod  of 
Chicago  was  constituted,  and  in  1869  the  Particular  Synod 
of  New  Brunswick. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  these  more  general  bodies : 

1.  The  Coetus  (1747-54).  In  1754  the  Coetus  became 
a  Classis  for  the  whole  church  (1754—71). 

2.  The  Reverend  Meeting  of  Ministers  and  Elders,  or  the 
provisional  Synod  (1771—92).  In  1793  this  body  became 
a  Particular  Synod  for  the  whole  church  (i  793-1800). 

3.  The  General  Synod  (1794). 


The  Particular  Synod  of  New  York  (1800). 
"     Albany  (1800). 
"     Chicago  (1856). 
"     New  Brunswick  (1869). 

III.    EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS. 

I.   Ihitgers   College. — The    history   of   this   college    has 
frequently   been    written,    and   we   need    not   repeat    the 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS.  189 

details  here.  The  charter  for  an  academy  for  the  Dutch 
alone  was  obtained  in  i  766.  This  was  replaced  by  a  more 
liberal  charter  in  1770  for  Queens  College.  Endowments 
were  in  progress  for  this  institution,  which  were  swept 
away  by  the  Revolution.  Negotiations  were  several  times 
attempted  for  uniting  Queens  College  with  the  theological 
professorship,  but  these  plans  were  not  practically  consum- 
mated until  1 8 10.  In  1825,  through  financial  embarrass- 
ments, the  college  property  was  deeded  to  the  General 
Synod,  and  the  name  of  Rutgers  College  was  taken,  to 
commemorate  a  liberal  donor,  Colonel  Henry  Rutgers.  In 
1864  the  Synod  deeded  back  the  property  to  the  trustees 
of  the  college.  From  18 10  to  1864  the  theological  pro- 
fessors also  taught  in  the  college.  The  presidents  have 
been  Rev.  Dr.  Jacob  R.  Hardenbergh  (1771-90);  Rev.  Dr. 
John  H.  Livingston  (1810-25);  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  Milledoler 
(1825-40);  Hon.  A.  Bruyn  Hasbrouck,  LL.D.  (1840-50); 
Hon.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen,  LL.D.  (1850-62);  Rev. 
Dr.  William  H.  Campbell  (1862-82);  Dr.  Merrill  E.  Gates 
(1882-90);  Dr.  Austin  Scott  (1890). 

For  many  years  after  the  Revolution  the  country  was 
too  impoverished  properly  to  endow  the  institution.  A 
beginning  was,  indeed,  made,  but  much  of  this  money 
was  consumed  in  building  the  beautiful  edifice  now  known 
as  Queens  Building,  in  1809.  The  president's  house  was 
added  in  1842,  now  used  as  a  Fine  Arts  Building,  and  Van 
Nest  Hall  in  1845.  The  endowment  grew  slowly,  but  the 
theological  professors,  who  also  taught  in  the  college,  were 
largely  supported  by  their  own  theological  chairs. 

With  the  accession  of  Dr.  Campbell  to  the  presidency  a 
new  era  opened  for  the  institution.  The  endowments  were 
greatly  increased,  the  course  of  instruction  was  wonderfully 
enlarged,  and  new  and  beautiful  buildings  began  to  adorn 
the  campus.     The  college  was  founded  to  prepare  a  min- 


igO  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [CiiAi'.  vi. 

istry  for  the  Dutch  Church.      Dr.  Campbell  presented  its 
claims  in  this  light,  and  nearly  $150,000  soon  crowned  his 
efforts.     It  was  through  his  instrumentality  that  the  college 
property  was  purchased  back  from  the  General  Synod,  and 
from  that  time  (1864)  the  college  became  independent  of 
the  church.     He  also  secured,  in  the  early  part  of  his  presi- 
dency, the  creation  of  the  Rutgers  Scientific  School.     The 
State  of  New  Jersey  made  this  school  the  State  College 
for  Agriculture  and  the  Mechanic  Arts,  and  conferred  upon 
it  the  rights  and  privileges  provided  in  the  national  law 
of  1862.      The  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  certain  public  lands 
were  allotted  to  this  State  College.      These  amounted  to 
$1 16,000.     Out  of  this  beginning  has  grown  the  important 
scientific   department   of  the   college,  which  has  recently 
assumed  so  commanding  a  position.      In  1870  the  college 
celebrated  its  centennial,  and  Chief-Justice  Bradley,  one  of 
its  graduates,  delivered  the  historical  address.    The  centen- 
nial endowment  funds  now  swelled  the  amounts  raised  by 
Dr.  Campbell  to  nearly  $300,000.     During  his  famous  presi- 
dency an  Astronomical   Observatory   was  built  in  1865; 
a  Geological  Hall  in  1873,  at  a  cost  of  $62,000 ;  the  Sophia 
Astley  Kirkpatrick  Chapel,  with  a  Library  attached,  at  a 
cost  of  $52,000;   also  the  Grammar  School  was  rebuilt. 
The  College  Farm  cost  about  $30,000.      Altogether  dur- 
ing   this    period    more    than    half    a    million    was    added 
to  the  funds  and  property  of  the  institution.      During  Dr. 
Gates's  presidency  New  Jersey  Hall  was  added  to  the  build- 
ings, costing  $40,000,  and  Winants  Hall,  costing  $80,000. 
An   additional   building   has   been   purchased   during   Dr. 
Scott's  presidency  to  meet  the  growing  demands  of  the 
Grammar  School,  and  Van  Nest  Hall  has  been  enlarged 
to  give  increased   accommodations  in  lecture-rooms.      A 
fine  Gymnasium  has  also  been  erected,  at  an  expense  of 
$60,000,  by  Robert  Ballantine,  of  Newark,  N.  J.     Rutgers 


EDUCA  TIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


191 


College  has  sent  about  five  hundred  of  its  graduates  into 
the  ministry  of  the  Reformed  Church. 

2.  Union  College  developed  out  of  the  Schenectady 
Academy,  which  A^'as  founded  by  Rev.  Dr.  Dirck  Romeyn 
in  1785.  A  college  charter  was  obtained  in  1795.  Dr. 
Romeyn  was  a  Dutch  clergyman,  and  also  a  professor  of 
theology  in  his  own  house.  During  the  first  forty  years 
of  this  institution  it  sent  more  of  its  graduates  to  the  New 
Brunswick  Seminary  than  Rutgers  College  did  in  its  first 
sixty  years.  Henry  V.  V.  Raymond,  D.D.,  is  the  present 
efficient  president.^ 

3.  Hope  College,  at  Holland,  Mich.,  grew  out  of  the 
Holland  Academy  in  that  place.  A  parochial  school  was 
started  in  1850  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  more  recent 
Holland  immigrants  in  the  West.  In  1855  this  school 
became  the  Holland  Academy,  and  in  1866  a  charter  was 
obtained  for  Hope  College.  Its  presidents  have  been  Rev. 
Dr.  Philip  Phelps  (1866-78) ;  Rev.  Dr.  Giles  H.  Mandeville 
(provisional,  1878-80) ;  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Scott  (vice-presi- 
dent and  acting  president,  1878—80;  provisional  president, 
1880-85;  president,  1885-93);  Gerrit  J.  Kollen  (1893). 
This  institution  has  already  graduated  nearly  five  hundred 
students,  of  whom  nearly  two  hundred  have  entered  the 
ministry  of  the  Reformed  Church.  In  addition  to  the  eight 
buildings  previously  acquired  there,  a  beautiful  chapel  and 
library  building  have  recently  been  completed,  known  as  the 
Graves  Library  and  the  Winants  Chapel.  The  endowment 
is  now  approximating  a  quarter  of  a  million.  Other  insti- 
tutions, the  germs  of  colleges,  are  springing  up  at  Orange 
City  and  elsewhere  through  the  inspiration  of  these  thrifty 
and  persevering  Hollanders. 

4.  The  Theological  Seminary  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 

1  For  fuller  particulars,  see  "  Manual,"  1879,  p.  116,  and  "  Schenectady 
Church  Memorial." 


192  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

was  founded  in  1 784  by  the  election  of  Rev.  Dr.  John  H. 
Livingston  as  professor  of  theology.  He  for  many  years 
taught  in  New  York  City,  or  at  Flatbush,  L.  I.  Other 
professors  were  elected  in  other  parts  of  the  church  to  carry 
on  theological  instruction  for  the  convenience  of  students. 
In  1 8 10  these  efforts  were  concentrated  at  New  Brunswick. 
The  institution  struggled  for  many  years  under  financial 
difficulties,  but  endowments  gradually  accumulated,  and 
at  length  the  seminary  was  placed  on  a  generous  founda- 
tion. From  1 8 10  to  1864  it  was  operated  in  conjunction 
with  Rutgers  College.  In  1856  Mrs.  Ann  Hertzog,  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  erected  Hertzog  Hall  in  memory  of  her 
husband,  Peter  Hertzog,  M.  D.  Eight  other  buildings  have 
since  clustered  about  this  central  one,  constituting  now  a 
magnificent  property,  almost  unequaled  for  situation  and 
healthfulness.  Five  chairs  are  endowed.  The  Gardner 
A.  Sage  Library  gives  every  opportunity  for  research  and 
study.  The  institution  has  sent  forth  nearly  a  thousand 
students  into  the  ministry. 

5.  The  Western  Theological  Seminary  was  for  a  time  in 
close  union  with  Hope  College.  Elementary  theological 
instruction  began  with  the  chartering  of  that  institution. 
The  seminary  was  founded  in  1869,  and  is  slowly  but  surely 
developing  in  strength  and  prosperity.  It  now  has  three 
chairs  of  theology. 

IV.    THE    BENEVOLENT    BOARDS. 

I.  The  Board  of  Education  was  organized  by  private 
individuals  in  1828.  Collections  had  previously  been  taken 
up  in  the  churches  to  aid  needy  students  preparing  for  the 
ministry.  These  funds  were  disbursed  by  the  Board  of 
Superintendents  of  the  New  Brunswick  Seminary.  In  18 14 
the  first  installments  of  the  Van  Bunschoten  Fund  beean  to 


BENEVOLENT  BOARDS.  193 

be  paid  in,  which  gave  additional  help.  This  fund  is  $20,000. 
Miss  Rebecca  Knox  in  18 15  left  $2000  for  the  benefit  of 
students.  The  General  Synod  adopted  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation in  183 1.  Benevolent  individuals  have  endowed 
scholarships  now  amounting  to  about  $160,000,  which  are 
held  by  the  General  Synod ;  and  the  Board  of  Education, 
since  their  incorporation,  have  received  about  $61,000 
more,  making  a  total  of  $221,000.  Collections  swell  the 
income.  Students  receive  $150  per  year.  Rutgers  Col- 
lege also  holds  funds  for  the  same  purpose,  amounting  to 
about  $130,000 — in  all  a  quarter  of  a  million  to  help  stu- 
dents preparing  for  the  ministry. 

2.  The  Widozvs'  Fund  was  practically  started  in  1837, 
Ministers  pay  $20  per  annum  to  secure  an  interest  in  this 
fund,  or  their  churches  do  it  for  them.  It  has  grown 
by  collections  and  special  bequests  until  it  has  reached  the 
sum  of  $85,000.  Ministers  who  are  members  of  this  fund, 
when  disabled,  or  their  widows,  receive  about  $200  per 
annum.  There  is  also  a  Disabled  Ministers'  Fund  of 
$63,000,  to  assist  any  minister,  or  his  family,  when  needy. 
About  $15,000  were  distributed  to  the  needy  during  the 
year  1893-94. 

3.  The  Board  of  Pnblieation  is  partly  benevolent  in  its 
operations.  It  makes  donations  of  books  and  tracts  for 
evangelistic  purposes.  It  was  organized  in  1855.  Its  pres- 
ent headquarters  are  at  25  East  22d  Street,  New  York, 
where  also  are  the  offices  of  all  the  boards,  and  a  delight- 
ful room  for  ministerial  gatherings  on  Monday  mornings. 

4.  Domestic  Missions  were  hindered  for  a  while  by 
the  continued  use  of  the  Dutch  language.  English  began 
to  be  used  in  New  York  in  1763,  with  the  call  of  Rev. 
Archibald  Laidlie  ;  but  Dutch  and  English  contended  with 
each  other  in  many  of  the  rural  districts  until  about  1820. 
In  I  786  efforts  began  to  be  made  to  extend  the  church  in 


194  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

destitute  localities.  In  that  year  Saratoga  petitioned  the 
Synod  for  a  minister.  The  Classis  of  Albany  acted  for 
many  years  as  the  agent  of  the  Synod  to  look  after  desti- 
tute localities  in  the  North.  Collections  were  taken  up 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  ministers,  who  left  their  pulpits 
for  three  months  on  preaching-tours  through  central  and 
western  New  York  and  on  the  north  side  of  Lake  Ontario. 
Many  Dutch  families  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  and  Ken- 
tucky, and  begged  for  ministers.  Some  efforts  were  made 
to  supply  them,  but  the  distance  in  that  day  made  it  im- 
practicable. For  many  years  a  number  of  churches  in 
Canada  were  cared  for,  but  these  were  subsequently  re- 
signed to  the  Presbyterians.  In  1804  the  first  legacy  for 
missions  was  left  by  a  Christian  lady,  Sarah  de  Peyster. 
.In  1806  the  General  Synod  resumed  the  management  of 
all  missionary  operations,  which  for  a  time  had  been  com- 
mitted to  the  Classis  of  Albany.  From  1806  to  1822  itin- 
erants continued  to  go  out  under  the  direction  of  the  Synod, 
but  many  of  the  churches  planted  died  for  lack  of  more  fre- 
quent ministrations  ;  but  in  1822  several  private  individuals 
formed  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church.  The  Synod  soon  adopted  this  as  its  board  of 
missions  for  both  domestic  and  foreign  operations.  Col- 
lections were  taken  up  at  the  monthly  concert  of  prayer. 
Reports  of  the  work  of  this  society  were  scattered  through 
the  churches.  In  ten  years  the  sum  of  $30,000  was 
raised,  with  which  about  one  hundred  churches  or  stations 
were  helped  and  one  hundred  and  thirty  missionaries  em- 
ployed. They  felt  it  to  be  their  chief  duty  to  strengthen 
existing  organizations.  In  1828  a  similar  society  was 
started  at  Albany.  Rev.  J.  F.  Schermerhorn  imparted 
new  life  to  the  missionary  cause,  and  contributions  were 
largely  increased.  In  1831  the  Board  of  Domestic  Mis- 
sions was  organized,  and  under  Mr,  Schermerhorn's  ap- 


BENEVOLENT  BOARDS. 


195 


peals  $5400  were  raised  during  the  first  year.  This  was 
then  unprecedented.  In  1837  efforts  were  begun  in  the 
West.  A  church  was  organized  at  Fairview,  111.,  and 
others  in  the  same  State,  as  well  as  in  Michigan  and  Wis- 
consin. In  1 84 1  the  Classes  of  Michigan  and  Illinois  were 
formed,  and  in  1851  that  of  Holland.  In  the  meantijue, 
about  1846,  the  new  Dutch  emigration^  began  to  pour 
into  the  West,  and  gave  a  new  field  of  operations  to  the 
domestic  missionary  efforts  of  the  church.  The  Domestic 
Board  was  reorganized  in  1849,  and  Rev.  Drs.  John  Garret- 
son,  Anson  du  Bois,  Goyn  Talmage,  and  Jacob  West  have 
been  the  corresponding  secretaries.  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  H. 
Pool  is  the  present  corresponding  secretary.  In  1854  the 
plan  of  a  Church  Building  Fund  was  proposed,  to  secure 
a  capital  fund  to  loan  to  needy  churches  for  the  erection 
of  buildings.  This  fund  is  continually  increasing.  Collec- 
tions are  taken  up  for  it  in  the  churches.  The  total  income 
from  all  sources  for  domestic  missionary  work  in  May,  1 893, 
footed  up  at  $87,000.  The  Woman's  Executive  Commit- 
tee for  the  same  year  showed  receipts  of  nearly  $15,000. 
5.  The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  not  formally 
organized  until  1832,  but  there  had  been  considerable 
interest  in  the  work  before.  The  Church  of  Holland  pre- 
pared elaborate  instructions  for  her  missionaries  to  the  East 
Indies  at  the  Synod  of  Dort  (16 19),  and  her  operations  had 
been  very  extensive  through  the  East  India  Company,  and 
the  missionary  spirit  then  begotten  was  not  lost  among  the 
Dutch  colonists  in  America.-  There  are  frequent  allusions 
in  the  correspondence  of  the  American  churches  to  the  sad 
condition  of  the  Indians,  and  the  calls  of  the  American  min- 
isters frequently  stipulated  that  they  should  also  labor  to 

1  For  a  history  of  this  movement,  see  "  Manual  of  Ref.  Ch.  in  America," 
iSyq,  pp.  74-82. 

2  Tlic  Archives  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  contain  all  the  correspond- 
ence with  these  East  India  missions. 


196  THE   REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

evangelize  the  natives.  We  find,  accordingly,  the  names 
of  Megapolensis  (1643),  Schaats  (1652),  DelHus  (1683),  and 
Lydius  and  Freeman  (i  700)  engaged  actively  in  this  work. 
Not  a  few  Indians  became  members  of  Dutch  churches. 
Tracts  were  written,  and  portions  of  the  Scriptures  were 
translated,  in  some  of  the  Indian  dialects.^  In  1663  the 
Dutch  ministers  in  New  York  received  a  copy  of  Eliot's 
Indian  Bible,  which  they  sent  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam 
with  great  joy,  as  an  evidence  of  the  progress  of  this  work 
in  New  England. 

In  1 701  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts  was  chartered  in  England,  and  in  the  cor- 
respondence of  its  ministers  frequent  mention  is  made 
of  the  labors  of  Dutch  ministers  among  the  Indians.-  In 
I  709  the  Society  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge  was 
formed  in  Scotland,  and  in  1741  a  Board  of  Correspond- 
ence was  established  in  New  York.  Under  their  care  Hor- 
ton  and  the  Brainerds  labored  among  the  Indians  on  Long 
Island  and  in  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  and  were  sup- 
ported by  the  churches  generally.  In  1763  the  Presby- 
terian Synod  of  New  York  ordered  collections  to  be  taken 
up  in  all  churches.  Work  was  begun  among  the  Oneidas 
in  1766,  and  shortly  after  in  Ohio.  The  troubles  then 
existing  in  the  Dutch  Church  may  have  prevented  any 
very  active  cooperation  in  this  movement. 

The  Revolution  broke  up  all  these  efforts,  and  the  work 
was  not  resumed  until  1796,  when  the  New  York  Mission- 
ary Society  was  formed  by  members  of  the  Presbyterian, 
Reformed  Dutch,  and  Baptist  Churches.  This  society  was 
not  under  any  denominational  control.      It  raised  $1000 

1  For  further  particulars,  sec  these  names  in  "Manual  of  Ref.  Ch.  in 
America,"  1879. 

2  See  Anderson's  "  Annals  of  Colonial  Ch.";  Humphrey's  "  Ilist.  Col. 
Ch.";  "Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  591,  59S,  698,  etc.;  "Classified 
Digest  of  the  Records  of  the  Soc.  for  Proji.  Gospel,"  London,  1894. 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  1 97 

during  its  first  year,  which  was  marvelous  for  that  day. 
It  sent  missionaries  to  the  Indians  in  Georgia,  Connecti- 
cut, Long  Island,  to  the  Tuscaroras  and  Senecas  in  western 
New  York,  and  elsewhere.  Powerful  missionary  sermons 
began  to  be  preached  under  the  auspices  of  this  society, 
which  did  much  to  arouse  a  missionary  spirit  in  the 
churches.  In  1797  Rev.  Dr.  John  M.  Mason  preached  his 
memorable  sermon  on  "  Messiah's  Throne,"  from  Hebrews 
i.  8:  "Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  In  1798 
the  monthly  concert  was  established  "  for  the  purpose  of 
offering  up  their  prayers  and  supplications  to  the  God  of 
grace,  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  pour  out  his  Spirit  on 
his  church  and  send  his  go.spel  to  all  nations."  In  New 
York  City  these  meetings  were  held  in  rotation  in  the 
churches  which  invited  them.  Soon  the  monthly  concert 
spread  over  the  land,  and  wonderfully  stimulated  the  mis- 
sionary spirit.  For  convenience,  another  society,  composed 
of  the  same  churches,  was  formed  at  Lansingburg  in  i  797, 
and  continued  in  existence  until  1830.  It  sent  missionaries 
chiefly  to  the  Indians  of  the  Five  Nations  in  central  New 
York. 

In  1799  Rev.  Dr.  John  H.  Livingston  preached  a  famous 
missionary  sermon  on  "  The  Glory  of  the  Redeemer,"  from 
Colossians  iii.  11:"  Christ  is  all  in  all,"  in  the  Scotch  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Cedar  Street,  New  York ;  and  in  1804 
his  still  more  memorable  sermon  on  Revelation  xiv.  6,  7  : 
"  And  I  ^aw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven, 
having  the  everlasting  GOSPEL  to  preach  unto  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth,"  etc.  All  these  sermons  ^  were 
repeated  in  many  places,  and  printed  and  extensively  read. 
They  were  like  a  clarion-call  from  heaven  in  their  effects. 

1  Rev.  Drs.  John  Rodgers,  John  McKnight,  William  Linn,  John  N. 
Abeel,  and  many  others  preached  powerful  missionary  sermons  about  this 
time. 


198  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

Many  local  societies  sprang  up  throughout  the  Middle 
States  and  in  New  England.  In  1802  the  General  As- 
sembly of  the  Presbyterian  Church  addressed  circulars  to 
all  the  Presbyteries,  urging  collections  for  the  work  and 
asking  for  suitable  men.  Missionaries  were  sent,  as  a  re- 
sult, to  the  Cherokees  in  Georgia.  Reports  of  the  labors 
of  the  Moravians,  and  of  several  European  missionary  soci- 
eties, especially  the  London  society,  aroused  such  interest 
that  in  18 10  the  American  Board  was  formed,  having 
its  headquarters  in  Boston.  In  181 1  the  Berean  Society 
was  organized  in  the  New  Brunswick  Seminary  for  prac- 
tical improvement  in  piety  and  to  gain  missionary  intelli- 
gence. In  1820  it  was  changed  into  the  Society  of  In- 
quiry concerning  mission  fields,  and  is  still  in  existence. 
The  American  Board  suggested,  in  181 1,  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  the  formation  in 
New  York  of  a  body  similar  to  the  American  Board,  to 
cooperate  with  it ;  but  owing  to  the  extensive  engage- 
ments of  that  church  it  did  not  seem  feasible.  But 
in  1 8 16  the  United  Missionary  Society,  composed  of  the 
Presbyterian,  the  Dutch  Reformed,^  and  the  Associate 
Reformed  Churches,  was  organized.  Its  object  was  "  to 
spread  the  gospel  among  the  Indians  -  of  North  America, 
the  inhabitants  of  Mexico  and  South  America,  and  in  other 
portions  of  the  heathen  and  antichristian  world."  Appeals 
now  began  to  be  made  more  earnestly  for  contributions. 

It  was  during  the  existence  of  this  society,  in  18 19,  that 
John  Scudder,  M.D.,  while  in  professional  attendance  on  a 
lady  in  New  York,  read,  in  an  anteroom,  the  tract,  "  The 
Conversion  of  the  World ;  or,  The  Claims  of  Six  Hundred 
Millions,"  and  was  so  deeply  affected  thereby  that  he  soon 

1  "  Minutes  Gen.  Synod,"  1816,  pp.  16,  17;  1817,  pp.  6,  39,  40;  1818, 
P-  37- 

'•^  In  1821  Dr.  Milledoler  makes  a  covenant  with  the  Osage  Indi.ans  on  the 
Missouri  to  receive  a  missionary.     ("  Missionary  Herald,"  1S21,  p.  26.) 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 


199 


consecrated  himself  to  mission  work.  He  went  to  India  as 
a  pliysician,  but  on  May  15,  1821,  was  ordained  by  a  com- 
pany of  ministers  in  Ceylon,  composed  of  Baptists,  Method- 
ists, and  Congregationalists.^ 

Pecuniary  embarrassments  prevented  much  success  to 
the  United  Missionary  Society.  Hence  in  1826,  not  with- 
out considerable  opposition,  it  was  merged  in  the  Ameri- 
can Board.  At  this  time  it  had  nine  missions,  with  about 
sixty  missionaries.  The  union  of  the  Dutch  Church  with 
the  American  Board,  under  such  circumstances  and  con- 
ditions, lasted  only  six  years.  During  this  time — viz.,  in 
1829 — the  devoted  Rev.  David  Abeel  sailed  for  the  East, 
under  the  immediate  care  of  the  Seamen's  Friend  Society. 
He  soon  began  his  labors  in  Java  and  Siam.  Mrs.  T.  C. 
Doremus  was  present  at  his  departure,  and  this  was,  per- 
haps, the  public  beginning  of  her  untiring  zeal  in  the  mis- 
sionary cause,  and  out  of  which,  in  connection  with  Abeel's 
subsequent  labors,  developed  the  present  important  ma- 
chinery of  "  woman's  work  for  heathen  women,"  and  all 
the  variety  of  women's  missionary  societies. 

But  it  soon  began  to  be  realized  that  the  contributions 
given  by  the  Dutch  Church  to  the  American  Board  were 
used  only  for  the  organization  and  support  of  Congrega- 
tional churches.  Dissatisfaction  increased  until  in  18322 
a  plan  was  adopted  by  which  the  church,  while  retaining 
the  advantages  of  a  connection  with  the  American  Board, 
was  allowed  to  conduct  certain  missions  according  to  its 
own  ecclesiastical  polity.  A  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  composed  of  fifteen  mem- 
bers, was  accordingly  organized,  whose  special  duty  it  was 
to  correspond  with  the  American  Board  concerning  the 

1  "  Missionary  Herald,"  1822,  p.  171. 

2  In  1832  Dr.  Scudder  issued  an  earnest  appeal  to  physicians  in  refer- 
ence to  mission  work. 


200  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

selection  of  stations,  the  raising  of  funds,  and  the  forma- 
tion of  missionary  societies.  The  consideration  of  the  whole 
subject  was  afifectionately  recommended  to  the  churches 
and  ministers,  as  well  as  to  the  professors  and  theological 
students.  In  1832  the  church  assumed  the  support  of  the 
stations  occupied  by  Scudder  and  Abeel.^  The  receipts 
reported  in  1833  were  $2106.  This  arrangement  lasted 
for  twenty-five  years.  It  was  during  this  period  that  the 
Borneo  and  Java  Mission  was  conducted  ( 1 836-49).  Eight- 
een missionaries,  male  and  female,  were  employed  in  this 
mission. 

In  1840  Cornelius  V.  A.  van  Dyck,  a  member  of  the 
Reformed  church  of  Kinderhook,  went  to  Syria,  under  the 
American  Board.  In  connection  with  Rev.  Eli  Smith  he 
labored  in  that  field  for  many  years.  Ultimately  they 
gave  to  the  Arabic-speaking  world  a  translation  of  the 
Bible  in  purest  Arabic.  It  is  said  that  this  translation  is 
hardly  equaled  for  idiomatic  beauty  by  that  of  any  other 
tongue. 

In  1840  Rev.  David  Lindsay  also  went  from  the  Dutch 
Church  as  a  missionary  to  South  Africa,  but  in  1842  he 
became  independent. 

In  1856  the  church's  board  of  missions  gave  expres- 
sion to  the  growing  conviction  that  a  separation  from  the 
American  Board  and  independent  action  were  necessary  to 
produce  a  proper  sense  of  responsibility  and  call  out  more 
fully  the  ability  of  the  church.  There  was  no  dissatisfac- 
tion with  the  American  Board,  but  it  w^as  believed  that 
more  could  be  accomplished  for  the  glory  of  Christ  and 
the  salvation  of  souls  if  the  two  boards  acted  independ- 
ently.    The  recommendation  was  carefully  considered  by 

1  "  Minutes  Gen.  Synod,"  1833,  p.  232.  Dr.  Scudder  now  issued  a  most 
earnest  appeal  to  ministers. 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  20I 

the  General  Synod  and  referred  to  the  Synod  of  1857. 
At  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  in  that  year,  while  enjoying  unusual 
evidences  of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Synod 
resolved  to  discontinue  the  relations  which  had  existed  so 
pleasantly  and  profitably  for  nearly  a  third  of  a  century 
(1826-57),  and  to  undertake  to  maintain  and  govern  its 
own  missionary  operations.  Through  the  blessing  of  God 
the  result  has  justified  the  plan.  The  separation  was  ami- 
cably effected.  In  the  same  year  the  American  Board  trans- 
ferred to  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  the  Amoy  Mission  in  China  and  the  Arcot 
Mission  in  India,  with  the  missionaries  composing  them. 
The  real  estate  and  other  property  were  transferred  by 
deed  dated  August  25,  1858.1  The  contributions,  which 
in  1857  were  only  $10,076,  rose  during  the  next  full  year 
to  $25,034,  and  have  almost  uniformly  increased  every 
year  since.  In  1893  the  total  receipts  from  all  sources 
for  foreign  missions  were  $136,688.  In  1894  the  amount, 
owing  to  the  financial  depression,  was  only  $106,571. 

In  1875,  in  accordance  with  a  recommendation  from 
General  Synod,  the  Woman's  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  was  organized.  Its 
objects  were  to  awaken  a  deeper  interest  in  missionary  work 
among  the  women  of  the  church,  and  thus  to  extend  the 
operations.  In  1880  it  assumed  the  support  of  the  work 
for  women  and  girls  in  all  the  mission  fields,  including  the 
maintenance  of  the  several  seminaries  for  girls  in  China, 
India,  and  Japan.  Its  contributions  have  steadily  risen  as 
the  work  increased,  and  have  always  been  more  than  suffi- 
cient for  the  purpose  named.  In  1894  they  amounted  to 
$20,317. 

In   1842  the  Amoy  Mission  in  China  was  organized, 

1  "  Minutes  Gen.  Synod,"  1859,  p.  378;    1862,  p.  120. 


202  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

which  has  recently  celebrated  its  semi-centennial.  The 
field  was  chosen  by  David  Abeel.  Abeel,  Doty,  and 
Pohlman  may  be  considered  the  founders  of  this  mission, 
while  John  V.  N.  Talmage  was  its  acknowledged  bishop, 
by  force  of  character,  for  nearly  half  a  century.  The  mis- 
sionaries of  the  American  Presbyterian  Church  and  of  the 
English  Presbyterian  Church  have  united  with  the  Re- 
formed in  one  ecclesiastical  organization,  having  formed  a 
Tai-hoey,  or  Classis,  in  1862.  The  London  Mission,  Con- 
gregational, also  cordially  cooperates.  The  Reformed 
Church  has  sent  about  forty  missionaries,  male  and  female, 
to  this  field,  of  whom  about  twenty  are  now  in  active  work. 
Their  ten  churches  have  about  a  thousand  communicants, 
nine  native  pastors,  sixteen  helpers,  many  schools,  and  a 
theological  seminary.  The  natives  have  contrib,uted  in  all 
about  $50,000.  The  Tai-hoey  represents  twenty  churches 
and  three  thousand  communicants. 

In  1854  the  Arcot  Mission,  India,  was  organized.  Dr. 
John  Scudder  had  already  labored  in  Ceylon  (1819-36), 
when  he  removed  to  Madras.  He  also  for  a  time  labored 
in  Madura.  He  died  in  1855.  His  seven  sons  went  to 
India,  as  they  were  prepared  for  the  work,  and  settled  in 
the  Arcot  district,  and  in  1854  a  Classis  was  organized. 
Dr.  Jacob  Chamberlain  joined  the  mission  in  1859,  and  two 
of  his  sons  have  since  entered  on  the  same  field.  About 
forty  missionaries,  male  and  female,  have  been  employed 
in  this  mission,  of  whom  twenty  were  reported  as  yet  act- 
ively engaged  in  1894.  About  a  dozen  natives  have  been 
ordained  to  the  ministry.  Various  agencies  are  employed 
to  forward  the  work,  and  an  endowed  theological  semi- 
nary exists.  The  native  communicants  number  about  two 
thousand,  and  their  benevolence  in  1894  was  reported  at 
$611. 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  203 

Japan  was  opened  to  foreigners  in  1858.  Three  offers 
were  at  once  made,  of  $800  each,  to  support  missionaries 
on  that  field.  Rev.  Dr.  S.  R.  Brown  and  Rev.  Guido  F. 
Verbeck  at  once  responded,  and  others  soon  followed. 
In  a  few  years  hundreds  of  Japanese  students  flocked  to 
America  and  Europe  for  education.  In  1872  the  first 
church  was  organized,  which  has  now  about  six  hundred 
members.  In  1877  the  Reformed  and  Presbyterian  mis- 
sions united  to  form  the  United  Church  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  Japan.  Schools  and  colleges  and  a  uni- 
versity have  been  called  into  existence,  and  the  success  in 
that  land  has  been,  perhaps,  unprecedented  in  the  history 
of  Christianity.  The  Reformed  Church  has  sent  more  than 
forty  missionaries,  male  and  female,  to  this  field,  of  whom 
about  thirty  are  now  in  active  service.  In  the  present 
organization,  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,  consisting  of 
Presbyterians  and  Reformed,  there  are  ninety-two  organ- 
ized churches,  with  a  membership  of  nearly  ten  thou- 
sand. Twenty-eight  of  these  churches  are  self-support- 
ing. The  contributions  from  these  native  churches  for 
1894  were  $13,392  in  silver.  For  all  Protestant  missions 
in  Japan  there  are  reported  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
seven  churches,  with  a  membership  of  forty  thousand. 

The  Arabian  Mission  was  started  by  a  few  individuals 
in  1888  upon  the  subscription  plan.  Professor  J.  G.  Lan- 
sing, of  the  New  Brunswick  Seminary,  was  its  founder. 
Three  missionaries — Revs.  James  Cantine,  Samuel  W. 
Zwemer,  and  Peter  J.  Zwemer — are  on  the  field.  The 
subscription  plan  has  proved  eminently  successful.  The 
mission  has  never  been  in  debt.  The  receipts  are  nearly 
$6000,  per  year.  At  the  last  report  there  was  a  balance 
of  more  than  $4000,  in  the  treasury.  Two  medical  mis- 
sionaries have   been  sent  out,   but  both   have   returned. 


204  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.        [Chap.  vi. 

In  1894  this  mission  was  transferred  to  the  care  of  the 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church,  but 
it  is  to  be  managed  upon  its  own  subscription  plan,  and 
its  funds  are  to  be  kept  separate  from  those  of  other 
missions. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SPECIAL    FEATURES    AND    RELATIONS. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  America  has  been  noted  for 
its  conservatism  in  doctrine.  It  perhaps  represents  old- 
fashioned  orthodoxy  as  well  as,  if  not  better  than,  any 
other  denomination.  Nevertheless  it  has  ever  been  most 
liberal  in  its  relations  with  other  churches.  It  cheerfully 
recognizes  all  evangelical  Christians  as  brethren  in  Christ. 
It  has  during  the  past  century  sent  corresponding  delegates 
or  letters  to  no  less  than  thirty  different  Synods  or  As- 
semblies. While  taking  repeatedly  very  decided  action  in 
support  of  the  federal  Union  (1861-65),  it  was  the  first  to 
send  a  corresponding  delegate  to  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
South,  when  the  war  was  ended.  It  has  ever  been  among 
the  foremost  in  organizing  and  supporting  all  the  great 
union  societies  for  evangelistic  publication  or  work. 

Its  type  of  Presbyterianism  has  some  admirable  features 
of  its  own.  The  term  of  office  of  its  elders  and  deacons  is 
only  for  two  years,  although  they  may  be  reelected ;  but 
the  elder  retains  the  honor  of  his  office  for  life,  and  may 
at  any  time,  though  not  in  the  Consistory,  become  a  dele- 
gate to  the  Synods  of  the  church.  The  acting  Consistory 
may  also  call  together  all  former  elders  and  deacons,  as  a 
Great  Consistory,  for  consultation  on  important  matters. 
The  members  of  the  Consistory  are  also  generally  the 
trustees  of  the  property.  This  prevents  conflicting"  views 
between  the  spiritual  and  temporal  officials  of  the  church. 
The  church  has  also  an  elaborate  liturgy,  which   may  be 

205 


206  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [CtiAP.  vii. 

used  or  not  at  the  option  of  the  minister.  The  forms  for 
the  administration  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are, 
however,  obhgatory.  Either  mode  of  baptism  is  allowed, 
although  but  one  is  commonly  employed.  In  order  to 
avoid  neglecting  any  part  of  divine  truth,  ministers  are 
required  to  explain  the  system  of  doctrine  contained  in 
the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  so  as  to  go  over  the  entire  sys- 
tem once  in  four  years.  This  system,  however,  is  not  dog- 
matic, but  experimental  and  practical.  It  presents  the  fact 
and  the  cause  of  man's  misery,  the  method  of  redemption, 
and  the  gratitude  which  is  due  to  God  therefor.  This 
catechism,  constructed  on  such  a  basis,  and  emphasizing 
especially  the  comfort  to  be  derived  from  all  the  great 
facts  of  Christianity,  is  one  w^iich  evangelical  Christians 
of  all  creeds  could  subscribe.  There  has  never  been  any 
change  in  the  standards  of  doctrine  since  the  Synod  of 
Dort  (1619),  yet  perfect  liberty  of  investigation  is  allowed 
and  encouraged.  The  standards  and  liturgy  were  not 
fully  translated  for  use  in  America  until  1767,  although 
translations,  not  very  well  known,  had  existed  in  England 
previously.  In  the  same  year  an  English  psalm-book  was 
published,  with  the  music,  the  plates  for  the  latter  having 
been  prepared  in  Holland.  Constant  improvements  in  the 
hymnology  of  the  church  have  been  made,  so  as  to  keep 
abreast  of  the  times.  In  18 13  a  revised  edition  of  the 
Psalms  was  published,  without  music,  and  with  the  addi- 
tion of  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  hymns.  Additional 
books  of  hymns  have  been  added  from  time  to  time,  and 
these  have  been  several  times  combined  together  and  re- 
classified. During  the  last  twenty-fi\'e  years  several  new 
entire  books  of  hymns  have  been  adopted,  until  now  the 
hymns  indorsed  by  the  General  S}'nod  in  one  book  or 
another  include  almost  all  the  important  evangelical  hymns 
before  the  public. 


DUTCH  AXD  ENGLISH  PREACHING.  207 

The  church  has  always  prized  a  learned  ministry.  She 
was  the  first  of  the  denominations  of  the  land  to  appoint 
a  theological  professor  (1784)  and  establish  a  theological 
seminary.  She  also  ever  cordially  welcomes  ministers  of 
other  denominations,  many  of  whom  are  called  to  her  pul- 
pits. All  her  ministers  are  recognized  by  her  constitution 
as  bishops  in  the  church  of  God.  The  use  of  the  Dutch 
language  for  too  long  a  period  in  her  pulpits  undoubtedly 
drove  many  of  her  children  into  the  Presbyterian  and  Epis- 
copal Churches.  As  early  as  1730  David  Abeel,  of  New 
York,  presented  a  petition  with  many  signatures  for  Eng- 
lish services  in  part  in  the  church  of  New  York,  but  the 
effort  was  not  successful.  English  was  not  introduced  in 
that  church  until  a  generation  later  (i  763),  which  even  then 
brought  on  a  disastrous  lawsuit.  Dutch  preaching  lingered 
on  in  many  of  the  rural  parishes  until  about  1820.  Then 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century  its  tones  were  seldom  heard  in 
the  pulpit ;  but  with  the  recent  new  immigration  to  Michi- 
gan and  other  States  the  Dutch  language  has  again  revived, 
and  in  the  two  denominations  existing  in  the  West  is  prob- 
ably now  used  in  the  pulpits  of  two  hundred  churches. 

In  1696,  the  year  in  which  the  first  church  charter  was 
secured,  the  churches  were  only  23  in  number  and  the 
ministers  only  9.  During  the  next  twenty-five  years  there 
was  a  slow  natural  increase  of  population,  the  churches  in- 
creasing to  40  and  the  ministers  to  13.  In  1740  the  min- 
isters were  20  and  the  churches  65.  In  1755,  when  the 
Coetus  assumed  the  powers  of  a  Classis,  the  ministers 
were  28  and  the  churches  73.  At  the  union  of  the  parties 
in  1772  the  ministers  were  41  and  the  churches  lOO.  The 
Revolutionary  War  being  mainly  on  the  territory  of  the 
Dutch  Church,  the  church  suffered  not  a  little,  both  ma- 
terially and  morally.  At  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution 
in  1792  there  were  only  40  ministers  and  116  churches. 


208  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  vii. 

During  the  early  years  of  the  present  century  a  number 
of  churches  were  organized  in  Canada,  but  the  War  of 
1812  scattered  them.  In  1821  there  were  129  ministers 
and  187  churches.  In  1841  there  were  234  ministers  and 
253  churches,  with  about  24,000  communicants.  It  was 
not  until  1845  that  the  number  of  ministers  and  churches 
was  about  equal — 275  ministers  and  274  churches.  The 
communicants  now  numbered  nearly  33,000.  From  this 
time  there  was  a  more  steady  increase.  About  1846  the 
new  immigration  of  Hollanders  to  the  West  began.  In 
1855  the  churches  were  364,  the  ministers  348,  the  com- 
municants 39,000,  and  benevolent  contributions  about 
$78,000.  In  1865  the  churches  were  427,  the  ministers 
436,  the  number  of  communicants  more  than  54,000,  the 
benevolence  $225,000,  and  the  moneys  reported  for  con- 
gregational purposes  not  quite  half  a  million.  At  the 
time  of  the  national  centennial  (1876)  the  churches  had  in- 
creased to  506,  the  ministers  to  546,  the  communicants  to 
nearly  75,000;  benevolence  is  reported  at  only  $210,000 
(against  $282,000  of  1875),  and  moneys  contributed  for 
congregational  purposes  at  nearly  $873,000.  In  1894  the 
churches  are  reported  at  612,  the  ministers  614,  the  com- 
municants nearly  101,000,  the  benevolence  $402,000,  and 
moneys  for  congregational  purposes  about  $1,048,000. 

UNION    OR    FEDERATION. 

It  is  a  truth  to  which  all  Christians  will  agree,  that  divis- 
ions in  the  church  of  Christ,  so  far  as  they  are  detrimental 
to  the  success  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  world, 
must,  sooner  or  later,  be  healed.  The  great  division  of  the 
Greek  and  Latin  Churches  yet  continues,  notwithstanding 
repeated  attempts  at  reconciliation.  In  1683  an  earnest 
attempt  was  made  by  Leibnitz,  Moranus,  and  Spinola  to 


UNION  OR   FEDERATION.  20g 

reunite  the  Roman  and  Protestant  Churches,  but  after  ten 
years  of  negotiations  the  effort  was  abandoned.  Many- 
letters  passed  back  and  forth  between  the  continental  and 
British  Reformers  to  unite  the  Reformed  churches.  Pro- 
fessor Hermann  Witsius  drew  up  a  plan  for  this  purpose 
for  William  III.,  but  nothing  came  of  it.  In  1743  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam  sought  to  bring  about  a  union  of 
the  Dutch,  the  German,  and  the  Presbyterian  Churches, 
but  without  success.  In  1783  Dr.  Livingston  expressed 
the  desire  that  some  genius  equal  to  the  task  would  arise, 
to  draw  a  plan  for  uniting  all  the  Reformed  churches  in 
America  into  one  national  church.  Notwithstanding  the 
seeming  difficulties  in  the  way,  "  I  humbly  apprehend," 
says  he,  "  this  will  be  practicable ;  and  I  yet  hope  to  see  it 
accomplished."  In  1784  efforts  began  to  be  made  to  pro- 
mote friendly  correspondence  between  the  Presbyterian,  the 
Associate  Reformed,  and  the  Dutch  Reformed  Churches 
in  America.  Committees  met,  and  articles  of  agreement 
were  drawn  up  in  i  785,  and  new  articles  in  1800.  Friendly 
letters  and  visits  of  delegates  were  exchanged  for  several 
years,  but  this  was  all.  In  1816  special  efforts  were  re- 
newed to  unite  the  Associate  Reformed  and  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed in  closer  bonds,  and  in  1820  to  unite  them  together 
under  the  name  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Church  in 
North  America.  The  standards  of  the  two  churches  were 
adopted,  and  individual  congregations  were  to  be  allowed 
their  own  customs  and  usages.  Two  thirds  of  the  Classes 
were  in  favor  of  this  union  ;  but  in  1821  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Church  declined  to  press  the  subject  further.  Dele- 
gates and  letters,  more  or  less  frequently,  were  exchanged 
in  subsequent  years. 

In  1822  new  articles  of  correspondence  were  drawn  up 
between  the  Presbyterian  and  Dutch  Churches,  and  dele- 
gates have  passed  back  and  forth  almost  every  year  for 


2IO  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.      [Chap.  vii. 

more  than  seventy  years.  In  1873-78  earnest  efiforts  were 
made  to  bring  about  a  union  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches, 
North  and  South,  and  of  the  German  Reformed  Church 
with  the  Dutch  Church,  but  without  success. 

In  reference  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  South,  how- 
ever, a  plan  of  cooperation  was  formulated  which  related 
to  publication,  home  missions,  foreign  missions,  and  educa- 
tion. It  was  hoped  that  the  Reformed  Church  would  take 
special  interest  in  the  evangelization  of  the  colored  people 
through  the  agencies  of  the  Southern  church.  The  only 
practical  result  reached,  however,  was  cooperation  on  the 
foreign  field. 

Besides  the  effort  for  union  with  the  German  Reformed 
Church  made  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  in  1743,  the 
Coetus  party  made  overtures  to  that  body  for  union  in 
1 762.  In  1 770  Queens  College  was  located  at  New  Bruns- 
wick, partly  for  the  reason  that  it  would  be  more  con- 
venient for  students  of  the  German  churches  in  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  and  the  names  of  two  German  ministers,  Wyberg 
and  Du  Bois,  were  put  among  its  first  incorporators.  At 
the  first  meeting  of  the  Dutch  General  Synod,  in  1794, 
union  with  the  German  Church  was  looked  forward  to  as 
a  desirable  consummation,  and  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  take  "  effectual  n^easures  to  bring  so  desirable  a  thing 
into  effect."  Delegates  were  exchanged,  and  German  stu- 
dents were  urged  to  come  to  New  Brunswick.  More  dis- 
tinct propositions  for  union  were  made  in  1820,  and  again 
in  1842,  and  at  the  important  Harrisburg  convention  of 
1844  it  was  thought  that  the  scheme  was  on  tlie  highroad 
to  success;  but  in  1848,  owing  to  certain  doctrinal  discus- 
sions in  the  German  Church,  the  Dutcli  Church  withdrew 
from  the  scheme,  and  correspondence  was  su.spended  for 
ten  years  ( 1 853-63).  With  the  tri-centennial  of  the  Heidel- 
berg Catechism,  in  1863,  intercourse  was  renewed,  and  a 


THE   CHRISTIAN  REFORMED    CHURCH.  2  I  I 

general  effort  for  union  was  again  made  in  1873,  ^s  alluded 
to  above,  but  then  the  Dutch  and  Germans  could  not  agree 
on  the  doctrinal  standards.  In  1886  began  another  effort, 
which  was  prosecuted  for  six  years.  The  scheme  of  a  fed- 
eral union  now  seemed  certain  to  succeed,  and  two  thirds 
of  the  Classes  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  and  most, 
if  not  all,  of  the  Classes  of  the  Reformed  (German)  Church, 
agreed  to  the  plan  proposed ;  but  some  technical  errors  in 
the  reports  of  the  vote  of  the  Classes  of  the  Dutch  Church, 
and  other  reasons,  prevented  success.  The  scheme  of  a 
federation  of  all  churches  holding  the  Presbyterian  system 
is  now  under  consideration.  Cooperation  on  mission  fields 
is  already  an  accomplished  fact. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    REFORMED    CHURCH. 

On  the  22d  of  October,  1822,  five  ministers  of  the  Re- 
formed (Dutch)  Church  seceded.  This  was  done,  as  they 
state  in  their  "  Reasons,"  "  on  account  of  Hopkinsian  errors 
of  doctrine  and  looseness  of  discipline."  Their  names  were 
Rev.  Solomon  Froeligh,  Rev.  Abram  Brokaw,  Rev.  Henry 
V.  Wyckoff,  Rev.  Sylvanus  Palmer,  and  Rev.  John  C.  Tol. 
Portions  of  their  congregations  went  with  them.  All  of 
these,  except  Mr.  Froeligh,  were  under  suspension  at  the 
time  of  the  secession.  In  the  course  of  the  next  nine  years 
seven  other  Dutch  ministers,  and  parts  of  their  congrega- 
tions, joined  this  secession.  At  first  a  Classis  was  formed, 
and  in  1824  they  organized  a  General  Synod  and  formed 
two  Classes — that  of  Hackensack,  N.  J.,  and  that  of  Union, 
in  central  New  York.  During  the  first  six  years  they 
gathered  twenty-six  churches,  some  of  which  soon  became 
extinct  and  others  independent.  In  1859  their  records 
showed  that  up  to  that  time  they  had  had  in  all  twenty- 
four  ministers  and  twenty-six  congregations.     Fourteen  of 


2 1 2  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH.       [Chap.  vii. 

their  ministers  had  then  either  died,  been  suspended,  or 
left  the  body,  and  ten  of  their  churches  had  become  ex- 
tinct or  independent,  so  that  in  that  year  (1859)  they  had 
ten  ministers  and  sixteen  churches.-' 

Meanwhile  (1835)  there  had  occurred  a  separation  in 
Holland  from  the  state  church  of  ministers  and  others  who 
were  dissatisfied  with  the  doctrine  and  some  features  of 
the  polity  of  that  body,  as  already  referred  to  (pp.  19,  20). 
Some  of  these  Separatists  came  to  the  United  States,  and 
thus  the  Christian  Reformed  Church  of  Holland  was  trans- 
planted to  Michigan ;  but  the  great  body  of  the  Holland 
immigrants  of  1846  and  subsequent  years  fell  into  the  fold 
of  the  old  Dutch  Church.  Commissioners  of  that  church 
had  been  sent  to  visit  them  and  invite  them  to  such  union. 
Classes  were  soon  organized  among  them,  and  ultimately 
the  Particular  Synod  of  Chicago  (1856).  But  about  1880 
some  of  these  brethren  demanded  that  the  General  Synod 
should  denounce  freemasonry  and  refuse  church-fellowship 
to  those  belonging  to  oath-bound  secret  societies.  This  the 
Synod,  after  patient  consideration  of  the  subject,  declined 
to  do.  In  1882,  therefore,  a  number  of  these  Holland  min- 
isters and  churches  seceded  from  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America  and  joined  the  Christian  Reformed  Church.  In 
1889  most  of  the  remnant  of  the  old  secession  of  1822  also 
united  with  this  body.  The  Christian  Reformed  Church 
of  this  country  has  now  seven  Classes  and  one  Synod, 
with  about  one  hundred  churches  and  thirteen  thousand 
communicants.  Their  standards  of  doctrine  and  polity  are 
identical  with  those  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America, 
and  it  would  be  for  the  benefit  of  both  parties  to  come 
together  and  labor  with  united  strength  for  the  progress  of 
the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

1  See  "  Manual  of  Rcf.  Dutch  Church,"  ist  ed.,  1859,  pp.  134-137. 


HISTORY   OF   THE   REFORMED   CHURCH.  GERMAN. 


BY 

V 
JOSEPH    HENRY    DUBBS, 


213 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


The  literature  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Europe  is  so  extensive  that  but 
a  brief  selection  of  titles  can  be  given.  For  a  full  bibliography  of  the  Swiss 
Reformation  see  Schaff's  History  of  the  Christian  Church,  vol.  vii. 

In  the  American  series  the  work  of  selection  is  peculiarly  difficult.  It  has 
been  the  purpose  of  the  author  to  present  a  view  of  the  historical  and  doc- 
trinal development  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States,  and  purely 
literary  and  devotional  books  have  been  necessarily  excluded.  A  few  local 
monographs  and  important  pamphlets  have  been  mentioned  for  special  rea- 
sons, but  to  have  enumerated  them  all  would  have  extended  the  list  beyond 
proper  limits.  For  the  same  reason  catechisms,  hymn-books,  and  serial 
publications  have  been  generally  omitted,  though  many  of  these  are  men- 
tioned in  the  body  of  the  historical  sketch. 

I.  European  Publications. 

Alting,  H.,  Historia  dc  Ecclesiis  Fa  la  tints. 

BiiUinger,  Heinrich,  Rcfoj-nmtions  Geschichte.    Reprint,  Frauenfeld,  183S. 

Burckhardt,  Jacob,  Reformation  in  Basel.     Basel,  18 18. 

Cuno,  Fr.  W.,  Gedachtnisshiich  dentscher  Fnrsten  ittid  Fiirstinnen  Refor- 

niierten  Behenntnisses.      Barmen,  n.  d. 
Deissmann,  A.,  Die  IValdenser  der  Grafschaft  ScJiaiinibiirg.     Wiesbaden, 

1864. 
Ebrard,  J.  H.  A.,  Christliehe  Dogniatik.    Historical  Introduction.     2  vols,, 

Konigsberg,  1851. 

,  Das  Dogma  vom  heil.  Abendmahl  und  seine  Geschichte. 

Goebel,  Max,  Geschichte  des  christlichen  Lebens  in  der  rheinisch-tvestphdl- 

ischen  evangelischen  Kirche.     3  vols.,  Coblenz,  1849. 
Graf,  Matthias,  R'irchenverbessencng  im  Elsass. 
Hagenbach,  K.  R.,  Geschichte  der  Reformation.     Leipzig,  1834. 
Hausser,  L.,  Geschichte  der  rheinischen  Ffalz. 
Henry,  Paul,  Leben  Johann  Calvins.     2  vols.,  Hamburg,  1835. 
Heppe,     Heinrich,     Einf'ihrnng    der    Verbessentngspnnkte    in     Hessen. 

Kassel,  1849. 

,  Frotestantismiis.      2  vols.,  Marburg,  1852. 

,  Die  Bekenntnisschriften  der  Reformirten  Kirche  Deittschlands.      El- 

berfeld,  i860. 
Hess,  Solomon,  Ulrich  Zxvingli  in  Zurich.     Zurich,  1819. 
Koch,  Rudolf,  Die  Aiifhebung  des  Edicts  von  A^antes.      Pamjihlet,  Barmen, 

1885. 
Koecher,    Joh.    Christoph,     Catechetische    Geschichte    der   Refvmirten 

A'irchen.     Jena,  1756. 
Leben  iind  ansge^vdhlle  .Schriften  der  Vdter  und  Begrilnder  der  Refoi^iirten 

Kirche.      10    vols.,    Elberfeld,    1859.      i.   Huldreich    Zivingli,    von    R. 

Christoffel ;   2.   Johann  Oekolampad  und  Os-wald  Myconius,  von  K.  R. 

Hagenbach ;  3.    Capita   und  Btitzer,    von  J.    \V.    Bauni ;  4.  Johannes 

214 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  2 1  5 

Calvin,  von  E.  Stahelin ;   5.   Ilcinrich  BuUiiigo;  von  Carl  Pestalozzi ; 

6.    Tlu'odor  Beza,  von  Heinrich  Heppe;    7.    Peter  Martyr  W'rmigli,  von 

C.    Sclimidt ;   8.    C.    Olevianiis  mid  Z.   Ursimts,  von   Karl   SudhofF ;   9. 

Johannes  a  Lasco,  von   Petrus   Bartels  ;    10.    John  Knox,  von   Friedrich 

Brandes. 
Medicus,  E.,  GesdiicJitc  der  ev.  Kirche  i/n  Konigreiche  Bavern.     Erlangen, 

1S65. 
Pfdlzisches  Meinorabile.     Theil  xiv.,  Westheim,  1888. 
Planck,    Geschiclite  der protestantiscJien   Theologie. 
Hecklingliaiisen,  Reformations  Gescliichte  der  Lander  Jitlicli,  Berg,  ii.s.w. 

Elberfeld,   1818. 
Schlatter,  M.,   W'ahrhafte  Erzdhhtng  von  dein  Zustande  der  meist  hirten- 

losen  Gemeinden  in  Petisilvanien  [sic]  und  denen  angrenzenden  Proznn- 

zen,   etc.     Amsterdam,    1752;   puljlished   in  "  Fresenii   Pastoral  Nach- 

richten,"  vol.  xii.,  pp.  181-408.     Separate  editions  in  Dutch  and  German. 
Schuler,  J.  M.,  Huldreich  Zivingli.     Zurich,  1S19. 

Seisen,  D.,  Gescliiehte  der  Reformation  zii  Heidelberg.      Heidelberg,  1846. 
Stahlschniidt,  Joh.  Chr.,  Pilger-Reise  zit  U'asser  und  Laud.     Nurnberg, 

1799. 
Vierordt,  K.  F.,    Geschiehte  der  Reformation  im  Grossherzogthum  Baden. 

Karlsruhe,  1847. 
Zaliu,  A.,  Der  Eiufluss  der  Refvmirten  Kirche  auf  Preussens  Grosse.     1871. 

IL   Manuscript  Collectioxs. 

Documents  collected  by  tlie  author,  including  the  original  Minute-book  of  the 
Free  Synod  of  Pennsylvania;  also  Archives  of  Synods  and  Classes. 

Harhaugh   Collection,  a  large  volume  of  MSS.  of  the  period  of  the  Coetus. 

Mayer  AISS.,  transcripts  of  original  documents,  chiefly  correspondence  with 
Holland.      In  the  library  of  the  Historical  Society  at  Lancaster. 

III.  American  Publications. 

I.    Historical. 

(i)  Early  Settlements. 

See  Colonial  Records,  Pennsylvania  Archives,  Doctcmenfary  History  of 
Nezv  York,  and  other  collections  of  official  documents  published  by  the  sev- 
eral States  ;  also  publications  of  historical  societies  and  many  local  histories. 
Of  the  latter  J.  D.  Rupp's  History  of  Berks  and  Lebanon  Counties 
(Pennsylvania)  1844,  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  valuable. 

The  following  publications  deserve  particular  mention  : 

Chronicon  Ephratense.  Translated  from  the  German  by  J.  Max  Hark,  D.D. 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  1S89. 

Kapp,  Friedrich,  A  History  of  the  German  Migration  into  America. 
New  York,  1867. 

Loher,  Franz,  Die  Deutschen  in  Amerika.     Cincinnati,  1847. 

Rupp,  I,  Daniel,  A  Collection  of  Thirty  Thousand  Names  of  Immigrants 
in  Pennsylvania.      2d  ed.,  Philadelphia,  1876. 

Rush,  Benjamin,  M.D.,  Manners  of  the  German  Inhabitants  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Written  in  1789,  Notes  added  by  I.  D.  Rupp.  Phila- 
delphia, 1876. 


2 1 6  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Seidensticker,  Oswald,  Die  erstc  deittsche  Einwanderung  in  Ainerika. 

Philadelphia,  1883. 
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1885. 
,  First  Century  of  German  Prititing  m  Avieriea.      Philadelphia,  1893. 

(2)  History  of  the  Chnrch. 

Appel,  Theodore,  The  Beginnings  of  the  Theological  Setninaiy.  Phila- 
delphia, 1886. 

,  Recollections  of  College  Life  at  Marshall  College.      Reading,  1886. 

,   The  Life  and  Work  of  John  Williamson  A^evin.     Philadelphia,  1889. 

Berg,  Joseph  F,,    The  Ancient  Landmark.     Philadelphia,  1840. 

Boraberger,  J.  H.  A,,  The  Protestant  Theological  and  Ecclesiastical  En- 
cyclopicdia.  Being  a  Condensed  Translation  of  Hei'zog^s  Real  Encyclo- 
picdia  li'ith  Additions  from  Other  Sources.  (Historical  and  doctrinal.) 
Only  two  volumes  published.      Philadelphia,  1858. 

,  Five  Years'"  Ministry  in  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  Race  Street, 

beloi.0  Fourth.     Philadelphia,  i860. 

Buettner,  J.  G.,  Kurze  Geschichte  der  Reformation.      Pittsburg,  1840. 

Conference  on  Union  betzuecn  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  and  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  the  United  States.      Philadelphia,  1888. 

Dotterer,  Henry  S.,  Rev.  John  Philip  Boehm.     Philadelphia,  1890. 

Dubbs,  Joseph  Henry,  Historic  Manual  of  the  Refortned  Church  in  the 
United  States.      Lancaster,  1885. 

,   The  Founding  of  the  German  Churches  of  Pennsylvania.     Address 

before  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania.      Philadelphia,  1893. 

Eschbach,  E.  R.,  Historic  Sketch  of  the  Evangelical  Reformed  Church  of 
Frederick,  iMaryland.      Frederick,  1894. 

Eisher,  Samuel  R.,  History  of  Publication  Efforts  in  the  Reformed  Church. 
Philadelphia,  1885. 

Fluck,  J.  Lewis,  History  of  the  Reformed  Churches  in  Chester  County. 
Norristown,  1892. 

Foersch,  J.  A.,  Leben,  Thaten  und  Meinungen  des  Ulrich  Zzvingli. 
Chambersburg,  1837. 

Geschichte  des  Missioiis)iauses,  iS6o-iSSj.     Cleveland,  n.  d. 

Geschichte  des  Theologischen  Seminars  der  Dcutsch  Reformirten  Kirche. 
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,  Meine  religiose  und  darauf  Bezug  habende politische  Ansicht.  Read- 
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Good,  James  I,,  The  Origin  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Germany.  Read- 
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,  History  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  German v,  1620-1 8go.     Reading, 

1894. 

Gossler,  J.  C,  Carl  Gock^s  Verleumdungen.     Reading,  1823. 

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,   Uliic  7,wingli:  Second  Jubilee  Gift  for  the  Fourth  Centenary  of  his 

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,  The  Life  of  Michael  Schlatter.     Philadelphia,  1857. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  2  I  7 


• 


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Kremer,  A.  H,,  Sermon  before  the  Alumni  of  the  Theological  Seminary. 
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Kremer,  A.  R.,  Biographical  Sketch  of  John  Williamson  Nevin.  Read- 
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McMinn,  Edwin,   Life  and  Times  of  Henry  Antes.      Moorestown,  N.  J., 

Mayer,  Lewis,  A  History  of  the  German  Reformed  Church.  With  Biogra- 
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God  in  the  Spirit.      Philadelphia,  1742. 
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■ ,  Kirchenordnung.      Philadelphia,   1748. 


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Guldin,  Samuel,  Unpartheyisches  Zeugniiess.     Philadelphia,  1743. 

Hochreutiner,  J.  J.,  Schwancngesang.     Mit  eiiicr  Znschrift  I'oii  lilichael 
Schlatter,   ]'.D.M.      Philadelphia,  1748. 

Iiisch.y,  J.,  Eitie  IVarnende  Wiichterstimm.     Germantown,  1749. 

Otterbein,  W.,  Die  heilbringende  Menschiwydiing  imd  der  /lerr/ic/ie  Sieg 
Jlsii  C/iristi.      Pamphlet  sermon,  Germantown,  1763. 

Pomp,  Nicholas,  Kiii-zgcfasste  PriifiDigoi  dcr  Lclire  dcs  cioigen  Evange- 
/iin/is.      Philadelphia,  1774. 

Stapels,   Caspar  Michael,    Dr.  F.  A.  Lampcns  Erste   Wahrhcits-Mihh, 
vcrniclirt,  etc.      Philadelphia,  1762. 

Steiner,  John  Conrad,  Sclmldigstcs  Lichcs-  und  Ehrcu-Dcnk//ial.     (Ser- 
mon on  the  death  of  George  II.)     Philadelphia,  1761. 

,   IVdchtcrstimm  aiis  dem  venviisteten  Zion  in  Pennsylvanien.     Ger- 
mantown, 1752. 
-,  Die  herrliche  Erscheiiiimg  des  Herrn  Jesii.      (Posthumous  collec- 


tion of  sermons.)     Philadelphia,  1763. 

Weiss,  George  Michael,  Der  in  der  amerikanischen  Wildniiss  aiigcfoch- 
teiie  Prediger.      Philadelphia,  1729. 

Zlibly,  John  Joachim,  Evangelisches  Zeugniiess.  Carlestade  (Charles- 
ton ?),  1 75 1. 

,   The  Real  Christian'' s  Hope  in  Death.      Germantown,  1756. 

,  The  Lato  0/ Liberty.     Philadelphia,  1775. 

i7g3-iS6s. 

Becker,  C.  Li.,  Eine  Saminlung  neiier  geistreicher  Predigten.      Baltimore, 

1810. 
Becker,   J.   Chr.,   Kurzer  Entwurf  der  christlichen   Lehre.     Allentown, 

1833- 

Berg,  Joseph  F.,  Jehcruah  Nissi.  Fareiuell  Words  to  the  First  German 
Re/o/yned  Church,  Race  Street,  Philadelphia.  Philadelphia,  1852.  Some 
Notice  of  Dr.  Berg's  Fairwell  Words.  By  Dr.  J.  W.  Nevin.  Re- 
printed from  "  Mercersburg  Review,"  1852. 

Bomberger,  J.  H.  A.,  Infant  Salvation.     Philadelphia,  1859. 

Christian  Baptism.  By  a  Minister  of  the  German  Reformed  Church. 
Hagerstown,  1838. 

Descombes,  Jacob,  Kurze  AbJiandlung  fiber  die  Kindertaiife.  Hamilton, 
O.,  1S2S. 

Gerhart,  E.  V.,  An  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Philosophv.  Philadelphia, 
1858. 

Gros,  J.  D.,  Natural  Principles  of  Rectitude.     New  York,  1795. 

Guldin,  J.  C.,  Betrachtungen  und  Gebete.      Reading,  1826. 

,  A'eply  to  Teasedale.      West  Chester,  Pa.,  1834. 

Harbaugh,  Henry,  The  Future  Life.     3  vols.,  Philadelphia,  1849,  185 1, 

1853- 

,   Cnion  'nnth  the  Church.      Philadelphia,  1855. 

Helffenstein,  J.  C.  A.,  Fine  Sammlung  auserlesener  Predigten.  (Posthu- 
mous collection.)  Carlisle,  1818.  There  are  several  later  editions;  also 
a  translation  into  English. 

Helffenstein,  Samuel,  Tlie  Doctrines  of  Divine  Revelation.  Philadelphia, 
1S42. 

Herman,  Chai'les  G.,  Kommunionbuch.     Kutztown,  Pa.,  1850. 


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Herman,  F.  Li.,  Catechismus  des  Glaubenslehren.     Reading,  1813. 
Kessler,  J.  S.,  Der  liturgische  Gottesdienst.      Philadelphia,  i860. 
Mayer,  Lewis,  The  Sin  against  fhc  Holy  Ghost. 

•,  Exposito)y  Lectures.      Harrisburg,  1845. 

Alenersbiirg  Review.      25  vols.,  1849-1878.      IV one  published  from   1862  to 

1866.      Continued  since  1879  as  the  "  Reformed  Quarterly  Review." 
Nevin,  Jolin  W,,    The  Ambassador  of  God.      Pamphlet,   Chambersburg, 

1842. 

,   The  Anxious  Bench.      Chambersburg,  1843.     Several  later  editions. 

,   The  Mystical  Presoice  :  A   Vindication  of  the  Reformed  or  Calvinis- 

tic  Doctrine  of  the  Eucharist.      Philadelphia,  1846. 

The  Church.     A   Sermon   Preached  at  the   Opening  of  Synod,  1S46. 


Chambersburg,  1847. 

Anti-Christ  ;  or.  The  Spirit  of  Sect  and  Schism.     New  York,  \\. 


Rauch,  Frederick  A.,  The  Liner  Life  of  the  Christian.     Edited  by  E.  V. 

Gerhart.      Philadelphia,  1856. 
Reber,  J.  "Li..,  Secteti  Geist  tend  Sectenwesen.      Chambersburg,  1850. 
Schaff,  Philip,  Das  Princip  des  Protestantismus.      Chambersburg,  1845. 
,   'The  Principle  of  Protestantism.      Translated  from  the  German,  with 

an  Introduction,  by  John  W.  Nevin,  D.D.      Chambersburg,  1845. 
Systenuitic  Benevolence.      Mercersburg,  1852.      Also  in  German. 


Schneck,  B.  S.,  Die  deutsche  Kanzel.     Chambersburg,  1845. 

Steiner,  Lewis  H.,  Catechesis  Religion  is  Christians  sen  Catechismus 
Hcidclbergcnsis.      Baltimorits,  1862. 

Stoneberger,  B.  J.,  The  Church-member's  Manual.     Chambersburg,  1855. 

The  Liturgical  QuestioJi,  with  Reference  to  the  Provisional  Liturgy  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church.  A  Report  by  the  Liturgical  Committee. 
Philadelphia,  1862. 

Williard,  G.  W,,  The  Commentary  of  Dr.  Zacharias  Ursinus  on  the  Heidel- 
berg Catechism.  Translated  from  the  Original  Latin.  Historical  Intro- 
duction by  John  W.  Nevin.     2d  Amer.  ed.,  Columbus,  O.,  1852. 

i863-i8gs. 

Bomberger,  J.  H.  A,,  The  Revised  Liturgy.     Philadelphia,  1867. 

■ ,  Reformed  not  Ritualistic.     A  Reply  to  Dr.  Nevin'' s  "  Vindication.''^ 

Philadelphia,  1867. 

Dorner,  J.  A.,  The  Liturgical  Conf  id  in  the  Reformed  Church  of  iVorth 
America.     Translation.      Philadelphia,  1868. 

Gerhart,  E,  V.,  Lnstitutes  of  the  Christian  Religion.  2  vols..  New  York, 
1891-1895. 

Good,  J.  H.,  Church  Members'  Manual.     Tiffin,  1882. 

Harbaugh,  Henry,  Christological  Theology.     Philadelphia,  1865. 

Heidelberg  Catechism  in  Gertnan,  Latin,  and  English.  Tercentenary  edi- 
tion. New  York,  1863. 

Miller,  Samuel,  Mercersburg  and  Alodern  Theology  Compared.  Phila- 
delpliia,  1866. 

Nevin,  J.  W.,  Christ,  and  Him  Crucified.  A  concio  ad  clerum.  Pitts- 
burg, 1863. 

,   Vindication  of  the  Revised  Liturgy.      Philadelphia,  1867. 

,  Liturgical  Discussion:  Answer  to  Professor  Dorner.     Philadelphia, 

1868. 


220  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Nevin,  J.  W. ,  College  Chapel  Sermons.     Compiled  from  Notes  taken  at  the 

Time  of  their  Dehvery,  and  Edited  by  H.  M.  Kieffer.      Philadelphia, 

1 89 1. 
Russell,  Gr.  B.,  Creed  ami  Custovis.     Philadelphia,  1869. 
Schneck,  B.  S.,  Mercershui-g  Theology.      1874. 
Tercentenary  Monument :  In   Commemoration  of  the  Three  Hundredth  An- 

niversarv  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.      Chanibersburg,  1863. 
Whitmer,  A.  C,  Notes  on  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.      Philadelphia,  1878. 
Why  am  I  Reformed?     A  Series  of  Papers.      Philadelphia,  1889. 
Williard,  Geo,  W.,  Comparative  Study  of  the  Dominant  Religions  of  the 

World.      Reading,  1893. 
Zartiuan,  Rufus  C,  Heaven.     Reading,  1883. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


THE    REFORMED    CHURCH    IN   EUROPE. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  is  histori- 
cally derived  from  the  Reformed  Churches  of  Switzerland 
and  Germany.  On  this  ground  it  was  in  America  formerly 
known  as  the  German  Reformed  Church.  It  may,  in  fact, 
be  regarded  as  the  American  representative  of  the  earHest 
members  of  that  group  of  national  churches  which  sprang 
from  the  great  religious  movement  in  the  sixteenth  century 
of  which  Zwingli  and  Calvin  were  the  most  distinguished 
exponents.  In  Germany  it  received  its  distinctive  form 
during  the  reign  of  Frederick  III.,  elector  of  the  Palatinate. 

The  Reformed  Church  is  older  than  its  name.  Its 
founders  had  no  thought  of  establishing  a  separate  Chris- 
tian denomination,  and  did  not  for  a  moment  imagine  that 
their  work  might  be  supposed  to  destroy  the  continuity  of 
the  ancient  church.  As  they  insisted  on  the  preaching  of 
the  pure  gospel,  they  preferred  to  be  called  "  Evangelical 
Christians";  but  different  names  were  given  them  in 
various  places.  Finally,  when  a  distinctive  title  became  a 
necessity,  some  one  in  France  called  the  church  "  Re- 
formed," and  the  name  was  by  common  consent  adopted. 
It  was  felt  to  be  appropriate,  for  the  body  of  Christians 
which  bore  this  title  claimed  to  be  the  ancient  church 
reformed — cleansed  of  its  medieval  corruptions.      At  all 

221 


222  INTRODUCTORY. 

times  it  declined  to  be  called  after  any  particular  leader, 
and  such  terms  as  "  Zwinglian  "  or  "  Calvinist  "  were  re- 
garded as  offensive  nicknames.  Indeed,  some  of  the 
strictest  members  until  a  comparatively  recent  period  ob- 
jected to  the  use  of  a  capital  letter  in  writing  the  name  of 
the  church.  It  was  to  them  "the  reformed  church,"  or 
"the  church  reformed  according  to  God's  Word."  Any- 
thing more  than  this  they  regarded  as  savoring  of  secta- 
rianism. 

"  The  two  original  branches  of  evangelical  Christen- 
dom," says  Dr.  Schaff,  "  were  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed 
confessions."  ^  Though  in  many  respects  closely  allied,  it 
cannot  be  doubted  that  from  the  beginning  these  two  con- 
fessions represented  distinct  and  separate  movements  in 
the  life  of  the  church.  Goebel  says:  "The  German  Ref- 
ormation began  simultaneously  and  independently  at  the 
opposite  extremes  of  German  life  and  culture — at  the  Sla- 
vonian boundary  and  at  the  foot  of  the  Alps — and  thence 
spread  until  it  met  at  the  Rhine,  the  center  of  Germanic 
life."- 

The  early  history  of  the  Reformed  Church  may  be  re- 
garded as  including  three  plainly  marked  stages,  which 
are  to  be  distinguished  as  German-Swiss,  French-Swiss, 
and  German.  Their  successive  centers  were  Zurich,  Gen- 
eva, and  Heidelberg. 

Ulrich  Zwingli  (1484-153 1 )  shares  the  honor  of 
organizing  and  conducting  the  German-Swiss  Reformation 
with  CEcolampadius,  Leo  Juda,  Bullinger,  and  many  local 
Reformers,  but  he  was  undoubtedly  the  most  distinguished 
of  them  all.  It  was  to  him  more  than  to  any  other  single 
individual  that  the  Reformed  Church  was  indebted  for  its 
peculiar  character  as  "the  free  church  in  the  free  state." 

1  "  History  of  tlie  Christian  Church,"  vol.  vii.,  p.  8. 

2  "  Geschichte  ties  christlichen  Lebens,"  vol.  i.,  p.  275. 


INTRODUCTORY.  223 

He  called  laymen  to  office  in  the  church,  convened  the 
earliest  Protestant  synod,  and  encouraged  local  self-gov- 
ernment. Though  he  was  cut  down  in  the  prime  of  his 
manhood — a  patriot  and  hero — his  dying  words  have 
proved  a  prophecy:  "What  does  it  matter?  They  may 
kill  the  body,  but  they  cannot  kill  the  soul." 

John  Calvin  (1509-64)  was  the  leading  representative 
of  the  second  stage  of  the  Swiss  Reformation.  His  influ- 
ence, however,  was  not  limited  to  a  single  nationality,  and 
no  single  denomination  can  claim  him  as  its  founder. 
Though  he  differed  from  Zwingli  in  many  particulars,  it 
will  not  be  denied  that  he  continued  and  completed  his 
work.  Like  Farel  and  Viretus,  his  predecessors  at  Gen- 
eva, he  was  aided  and  supported  by  Zurich  and  Berne ; 
and  in  1549  he  joined  with  Bullinger,  the  successor  of 
Zwingli,  in  a  common  confession  of  faith,  known  as  the 
Consensus  Tigiirinns,  by  which  the  German  and  French 
elements  in  the  Reformed  Church  were  practically  united.^ 
In  consequence  of  this  agreement  Calvin's  doctrine  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  found  its  way  into  all  subsequent  Reformed 
confessions,  and  his  views  concerning  church  government 
and  discipline  were  accepted  as  normal,  though  in  mo- 
narchical countries  the  free  development  of  the  churches 
in  this  regard  was  frequently  repressed.  On  the  doctrine 
of  predestination,  however,  the  Germans  were  not  gener- 
ally disposed  to  take  the  advanced  ground  which  was  held 
by  the  church  of  Geneva.^ 

The  third  stage  in  the  early  history  of  the  Reformed 
Church  includes  'its  introduction  into  Germany.  At  this 
period  the   church  was  chiefly  concerned  with  the  great 

1  In  the  preface  to  his  hivchiire  on  this  subject  Calvin  says:  "  If  Zwingli 
and  (Ecolampadius  were  still  living  they  would  not  change  a  single  word  of 
our  Consensus.''''     (Pestalozzi,  p.  391.) 

2  Schaff's  "  History,"  vol.  viiKJ  p-  211 ;  Ebrard's  "  Dogmatik,"  Preface, 
p.  viii.  / 


224  INTROD  UCTOR  Y. 

sacramental  controversy  which  had  divided  Protestantism 
during-  the  Hfetime  of  the  earhest  Reformers.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  when  Luther  and  Zwingli  met  at  Mar- 
burg in  1529  it  was  found  that  the  manner  of  Christ's 
presence  in  the  Lord's  Supper  was  the  only  important 
difference  between  them.  Luther  regarded  the  corporal 
presence  as  a  fundamental  article,^  and  refused  to  give 
Zwingli  the  right  hand  of  fellowship ;  but  the  conference 
was  by  no  means  an  utter  failure.  Both  parties  agreed  in 
a  common  confession,  in  which  but  a  part  of  a  single  article 
was  left  undefined. 

In  later  years  Luther  once  more  engaged  in  violent 
controversy  with  the  Swiss;  but  Melanchthon  continued 
to  adhere  closely  to  the  terms  of  the  Marburg  agreement. 
He  even  modified  the  Augsburg  Confession  to  accom- 
modate the  Reformed,  and  thus  drew  upon  himself  the 
bitter  opposition  of  the  zealots  of  his  own  church.  Me- 
lanchthon's  disciples  were  contemptuously  called  "  Philip- 
ists,"  after  the  name  of  their  teacher,  who  was  familiarly 
known  as  "  Master  Philip."  "  Philipism  "  was  declared  to 
be  as  bad  as  Calvinism,  and  minor  differences  between 
Luther  and  Melanchthon  were  sought  out  and  became  the 
occasion  of  bitter  controversies.  The  "  Philipists  "  were  in 
many  instances  deposed  and  banished,  and  Melanchthon 
himself  fully  expected  to  be  driven  out  of  Germany. 2 
After  his  death  many  of  his  personal  friends  and  disciples 
found  a  refuge  in  the  Reformed  Church,  and  their  influ- 
ence soon  became  apparent  in  its  peculiar  life.^ 

Melanchthon    was   a   native    of   the    Palatinate    of  the 

1  Schaff,  vol-,  vi.,  p.  645. 

2  Melanclithon's  letter  to  Bullinger,  September,  1556.     (Pestalozzi,  p.  392.) 

3  FJjrard  says  :  "  We  have  always  regarded  it  as  truly  reformed  to  be  sin- 
cerely favorable  to  union  ;  that  is,  to  accept  everything  in  other  confessions 
that  has  been  proved  to  us  to  be  true  and  according  to  the  Scriptures.  Above 
all,  we  rejoice  to  have  given  to  the  Melanchthonianism  that  was  elsewhere 
persecuted  a  safe  refuge  and  the  rights  of  citizenship." 


INTRODUCTORY.  22  5 

Rhine,  and  it  was  in  that  province  that  the  conflict  be- 
came most  intense.  When  Frederick  III. — surnamed 
"the  Pious" — assumed  the  government  lie  had  no  idea 
of  introducing  the  Reformed  Church,  being  satisfied  with 
the  mild  form  of  Lutlieranism  which  had  come  to  prevail 
under  his  immediate  predecessors.  His  irenical  position 
and  supposed  Calvinistic  leanings  were,  however,  pecul- 
iarly offensive  to  the  extremists,  and  he  was  soon  forced 
to  take  part  in  the  conflict.  Hitherto  he  had  been  regarded 
as  the  leader  of  the  Melanchthonian  party  ;  but  this  posi- 
tion was  found  to  be  no  longer  tenable,  and  in  1559  he 
formally  passed  over  to  the  Reformed  Church,  insisting, 
however,  that  he  had  not,  by  this  act,  renounced  his  alle- 
giance to  the  Augsburg  Confession.  1 

Hitherto  the  Reformed  Church  had  in  Germany  been 
insignificant ;  but  now  that  the  Palatinate  had  identified 
itself  with  it,  an  official  declaration  of  its  faith  became  ab- 
solutely necessary.  The  elector  therefore  determined  to 
prepare  a  catechism,  not  only  to  represent  the  faith  which 
he  had  accepted,  but  to  convey  its  truths  to  future  gen- 
erations. He  selected  two  young  men  to  engage  in  its 
composition,  and  the  result  proved  the  wisdom  of  his 
choice.  Together  they  produced  a  work  which  has  ever 
since  been  regarded  as  the  crown  and  glory  of  the  Re- 
formed Church. 

Zacharias  Ursinus  (1534-83)  was  a  native  of  Si- 
lesia. He  studied  at  Wittenberg  and  became  the  favorite 
disciple  of  Melanchthon.  Subsequently  he  visited  the 
universities  of  Switzerland  and  France  and  became  ac- 
quainted with  Calvin  and  Bullinger.  Exiled  for  his  doc- 
trinal views  from  his  native  province,  he  was  invited  by  the 

1  "  He  was  driven  out  of  the  Lutheran  Church  by  the   Lutherans  them- 
selves."— Dr.  J.  L  Good's  "  Origin  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Germany," 


226  INTRODUCTOKY. 

elector  to  assist  in  organizing  the  church  of  the  Palatinate. 
He  was  an  eminent  theologian  and  scholar,  but  was  per- 
sonally less  popular  than  his  distinguished  coadjutor. 

Caspar  Olevianus  (1536-87)  was  a  native  of  Treves. 
He  studied  at  Paris,  Bourges,  Zurich,  and  Geneva,  "nd 
became  a  faithful  disciple  of  Calvin.  Returning  to  his 
native  city,  he  began  to  preach  the  gospel,  but  was 
arrested  and  cast  into  prison.  Delivered  through  the  po- 
tent intercession  of  the  Elector  Frederick,  he  went  to 
Heidelberg,  and  was  successively  professor  of  theology 
and  pastor  of  the  principal  church  of  the  city.  He  was  a 
celebrated  orator  and  a  man  of  great  executive  ability. 

These  were  the  men  who  produced  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism.  Ursinus  is  supposed  to  have  done  the  greater 
part  of  the  work,  but  the  hand  of  Olevianus  may  be  recog- 
nized almost  everywhere.  The  polemic  questions  are 
'believed  to  have  been  inserted  at  the  direct  command  of 
the  elector.  In  the  composition  of  the  work  materials 
taken  from  the  catechisms  of  Calvin  and  A  Lasco  were 
freely  used,  and  there  are  traces  of  Melanchthonian  influ- 
ence; but  its  originality  as  a  whole  has  never  been  ques- 
tioned. "  The  Heidelberg  Catechism,"  says  Max  Goebel, 
"  may  be  regarded  as  the  flower  and  fruit  of  the  entire 
German  and  French  Reformation  ;  it  has  Lutheran  sincer- 
ity, Melanchthonian  clearness,  Zwinglian  simplicity,  and 
Calvinistic  fire,  all  harmoniously  blended ;  and  it  has, 
therefore,  become  and  remained  the  common  confession 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church  from  the  Palatinate  to 
the  Netherlands,  including  Brandenburg  and  Prussia." 

The  Elector  h^rederick  is  one  of  the  noblest  characters 
in  the  history  of  the  sixteenth  century.  His  defense  of 
the  catechism  before  the  diet  of  Augsburg,  in  1566,  was 
positively  hercnc,  and  his  sincerity  was  not  questioned  by 
his  bitterest  opponents.      At  first  he  stood  almost  alone 


IN  TROD  UCTOK  Y.  22^ 

among  the  princes  of  Germany,  but  his  example  did  not 
remain  without  effect.  During  his  lifetim.e  Reformed 
churches  were  founded  by  his  influence  along  the  Lower 
Rhine,  and  a  few  years  after  his  death  a  number  of  Ger- 
man states  and  cities  accepted  the  Reformed  faith. ^ 

The  Reformed  Church  of  Germany  and  Switzerland 
also  gained  strength  from  minor  sources  which  must  not 
be  disregarded.  Among  these  the  following  are  the  most 
important : 

The  Waldenses,  a  body  of  Christians  of  medieval  origin, 
sympathized  with  the  Reformation  from  the  beginning, 
and  at  a  synod  held  at  Angrogna,  in  1532,  resolved  to 
connect  themselves  with  the  Reformed  Church ;  but  this 
action  was  opposed  by  an  influential  minority,  who  kept 
up  the  ancient  organization,  which  has  been  maintained 
to  the  present  day.  In  the  Palatinate  the  Waldenses  had 
been  numerous,  but  they  were  absorbed  by  the  Protestants 
during  the  Reformation.- 

The  Hussites  of  Poland  were  also,  in  1627,  "grafted 
upon  the  Reformed  Church,  and  in  the  next  decade  grew 
to  be  one  with  it."  ^ 

Holland  at  this  period  exerted  an  important  influence 
on  the  Reformed  churches  of  Germany.  As  early  as 
1562  the  Elector  Frederick  welcomed  fugitives  from  the 
Netherlands,  and  by  his  advice  many  of  them  settled  in 

1  Among  the  most  important  of  the  German  cities  and  principalities  which 
passed  over  from  the  Lutheran  to  the  Reformed  Church  after  the  Palatinate 
had  led  the  way  we  may  mention  Nassau  (1578),  Bremen  (1581),  Hanau 
(1596),  Anhalt  (1597),  Baden-Durlach  (1599),  Lippe  (1600),  and  part  of 
Hesse  (1604)..  The  elector  of  Brandenburg,  from  whom  the  present  impe- 
rial family  of  Germany  is  descended,  accepted  the  Reformed  faith  in  1613. 
Most  of  his  people,  however,  remained  Lutheran,  and  their  ruler  was  the 
first  among  German  princes  to  proclaim  the  religious  freedom  of  all  his  sub- 
jects.     (Cuno's  "  Gedachtnissbuch.") 

2  Goebel,  vol.  i.,  p.  35,  note. 

3  See  De  Schweinitz's  "  Moravian  Manual "  ;  also  "  History  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum,"  p.  633. 


228  INTROUUCrORY. 

Frankenthal,  which,  through  their  industry  and  enter- 
prise, became  a  place  of  considerable  importance.  In  this 
town  two  congregations  were  founded  in  their  interest — 
Dutch  and  French — and  soon  afterward  similar  churches 
were  established  in  Heidelberg,  Worms,  and  other  cities 
and  villages.i  In  the  days  of  the  persecution  under  the 
Duke  of  Alva  these  churches  increased  in  membership, 
and,  as  they  consisted  exclusively  of  people  who  had  been 
exiled  for  their  faith,  were  naturally  regarded  with  great 
respect.  They  were  granted  more  freedom  than  had  been 
accorded  to  the  German  churches,  and  were  soon  organized 
as  Classes  and  Synods,  after  the  Dutch  pattern.  In  the 
course  of  time  most  of  the  Netherlanders  returned  to  their 
own  countr}^ ;  but  they  had  permanently  impressed  their 
ideas  of  order  and  discipline  on  the  Reformed  churches  of 
Germany. 

The  Huguenot  element  in  the  church  of  the  Palatinate 
was  also  considerable.  After  the  massacre  of  St.  Barthol- 
omew, in  1572,  the  Elector  Frederick  HI.  sent  a  military 
force,  under  the  command  of  his  favorite  son,  John  Casi- 
mir,  to  aid  the  Protestants,  and  his  country  was  soon 
crowded  with  French  refugees.  Some  of  these  connected 
themselves  with  the  "Walloon"  churches  which  had  al- 
ready been  established,  but  others  were  soon  Germanized. 
It  was  not,  however,  until  a  century  later,  after  the  revo- 
cation of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  (1685),  that  the  most  im- 
portant migration  of  Huguenots  to  Germany  occurred. 
Twelve  days  after  the  revocation  the  great  elector  of 
Brandenburg,  who  regarded  himself  as  the  representative 
head  of  the  Reformed  Church,  issued  the  Edict  of  Pots- 
dam, by  which  he  bade  the  exiles  welcome  to  his  state.2 

1   "  Pfiil/isclics  Memoraliile,"  vol.  xiv.,  p.  57- 

'-  Koch's  "  Aufhebung  des  Edicts  von  Nantes,"  p.  lo;  Zalin's  "  Einfluss 
dcr  Ref.  Kirche  auf  Preusscns  Grosse,"  p.  9. 


INTROD  UC  TOR  Y.  229 

Several  German  princes  and  free  cities  followed  his  exam- 
ple, and  many  Huguenot  settlements  were  founded.  That 
these  "  colonies  "  contributed  greatly  to  the  prosperity  of 
Germany  has  not  been  denied ;  and  we  do  not  hesitate  to 
say  that  their  presence  in  the  Reformed  Church  not  only 
contributed  to  its  advancement  in  culture  and  intelligence, 
but  was  the  source  of  much  of  the  energy  and  enterprise 
which  it  exhibited  at  this  period  of  its  history. 

Some  one  has  compared  the  Reformed  Church  in  its 
early  history  with  the  river  Rhine,  on  whose  banks  so 
many  of  its  members  have  dwelt.  Like  that  mighty  river, 
the  Reformed  Church  has  its  source  in  the  mountains  of 
Switzerland,  and  derives  its  tributaries  from  France  and 
Germany,  while  it  flows  onward  to  refresh  the  plains  of 
Holland. 

The  history  of  the  electoral  Palatinate  after  it  had  ac- 
cepted the  Reformed  faith  was  peculiarly  eventful.  Fred- 
erick HL  was  succeeded  in  1576  by  his  son  Louis,  who 
was  a  high  Lutheran  and  did  his  best  to  undo  his  father's 
work.  After  his  brief  reign  of  seven  years  his  brother, 
John  Casimir,  once  more  established  the  Reformed  Church, 
though  certain  districts  remained  Lutheran.  During  the 
Thirty  Years'  War  there  were  frequent  changes ;  but  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  period  the  province  was  controlled 
by  Roman  Catholic  Spaniards  or  Bavarians.  At  the  close 
of  the  struggle  the  Reformed  Church  was  once  more  es- 
tablished by  law;  and  though  it  had  suffered  greatly  it 
still  remained  the  leading  religious  organization  along  the 
whole  course  of  the  Rhine  from  its  source  to  the  ocean. ^ 

That  in  the  Palatinate  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed 
Churches  approached  each  other  more  closely  than  else- 
where will  hardly  be  denied.  Christians  had  grown  weary 
of  controversy,   and  minor  peculiarities  gradually  disap- 

1  Goebel,  vol.  i.,  p.  362. 


230  INTKOD  UCrOR  V. 

peared.  The  Reformed  people  were  sincerely  attached  to 
the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  and,  though  they  had  many 
local  confessions,  regarded  it  as  a  sufficient  bond  of  union. 
Their  system  of  faith  was,  therefore,  thoroughly  Christo- 
logical,  giving  "  the  best  expression  to  Calvin's  views  on 
the  Lord's  Supper,  but  wisely  omitting  all  reference  to  an 
eternal  decree  of  reprobation  and  pretention."^  They 
regarded  the  distinctively  Dutch  confessions — the  Belgic 
Confession  and  the  decrees  of  the  Synod  of  Dordrecht — 
with  profound  respect;  they  were  not  Arminians,  though 
they  preferred  to  say,  with  Bullinger,  that  "  Christ  is  the 
object  and  contents  of  divine  predestination."  To  them 
the  sacramental  questions,  which  had  in  Germany  received 
special  attention,  remained  peculiarh^  interesting;  and  in 
course  of  time  it  was  found  that  the  distinctions  between 
the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Churches  were  not  as  radical 
as  had  been  originally  supposed,  so  that  the  two  confes- 
sions lived  very  comfortably  together. 

The  liturgical  services  of  the  Reformed  churches  were 
conducted  according  to  the  Palatinate  Liturgy,  which,  like 
the  catechism,  had  been  published  in  1563.  For  nearly  a 
century  they  were  distinguished  by  singing  psalms  exclu- 
sively, but  in  1657  began  to  sing  hymns,  and  the  organs 
which  had  so  long  been  silent  were  again  employed  in 
worship.  About  the  same  time  there  began  to  appear  in 
the  Reformed  Church  a  series  of  sacred  poets  -  whose  com- 
positions were  accepted  by  both  confessions.  In  this  way 
hymnology  prepared  the  way  for  fraternal  unity. 

Even  more  important  was  the  influence  exerted  by  the 
great  religious  movement  which  is  known  as  "  Pietism." 
Though  it  frequently  degenerated  into  fanaticism,  it  also 

1  Schaff's  "  History,"  vol.  vii.,  p.  8ii. 

'^  Louisa  Henrietta  of  l^)randenbnrg,  Joachim  Neander,  Gerhard  Terstee- 
gen,  and  many  others. 


INTROD  UCTOK  V.  2  3  I 

included  multitudes  of  quiet,  unpretentious  Christians  who 
remained  faithful  to  their  ancient  confessions  while  they 
earnestly  sought  to  apply  the  precepts  of  the  gospel  to 
their  daily  lives.  This  movement  may  be  held  to  have 
begun  in  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  person  of  Jean  de 
Labadie  (1610—74),  but  found  a  more  worthy  exponent 
in  Philip  Jacob  Spener  (1635-1705).  The  latter  was  a 
Lutheran,  but  his  influence  in  the  Reformed  Church  was 
fully  as  great  as  in  his  own.  It  is  principally  to  him  that 
both  churches  owe  the  reestablishment  of  catechisation 
and  confirmation,  which  had  been  generally  neglected. 
Though  bitterly  persecuted  in  his  day,  posterity  has  ac- 
corded him  one  of  the  noblest  places  in  the  history  of  the 
church. 

Spener  had,  of  course,  many  coadjutors,  of  whom,  in 
the  Reformed  Church,  Theodore  Untereyck  was  perhaps 
the  most  prominent.  Under  the  influence  of  such  men 
ancient  prejudices  were  gradually  removed  and  the  sub- 
jective side  of  Christianity  was  duly  recognized.  In  a 
general  way  Pietism  harmonized  with  the  biblical  theology 
of  Cocceius,  which  had  come  to  prevail  in'  Germany,  as 
represented  by  Burmann,  Witsius,  Lampe,  Vitringa,  and 
others,  from  whom,  directly  or  indirectly,  many  of  the 
early  ministers  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States  derived  their  theological  instruction. 

The  influence  of  Pietism  in  both  evangelical  confessions 
brought  them  closer  together,  and  thus  prepared  the  way 
for  the  most  important  event  in  their  later  history.  In 
181 7  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches  of  Prussia 
were  by  action  of  the  government  consolidated  into  a  sin- 
gle body,  to  be  known  as  the  Evangelical  Church.  There 
was  to  be  no  confessional  change — individuals  were  to  re- 
main Lutheran  or  Reformed,  as  they  had  been  before — 
but  in  its  official  relations  the  church  of  Prussia  was  to  be 


232  INTROD  UCrOR  V. 

regarded  as  a  single  organization,  and  congregations  which 
declined  to  enter  the  union  were  deprived  of  government 
patronage.  This  "  Church  Union  "  gradually  extended 
over  Germany  and  now  includes  nearly  all  the  churches 
which  were  originally  Reformed.  A  much  larger  propor- 
tion of  Lutherans  has  declined  to  enter  the  union,  which 
may  be  said  to  have  in  some  places  revived  confessional 
distinctions,  while  in  others  it  has  almost  obliterated  them. 
In  the  union  the  Reformed  Church,  though  greatly  in  the 
minority,  has  exerted  an  important  influence,  and  it  has 
been  observed  that  a  large  proportion  of  recent  eminent 
theologians  has  belonged  to  the  Reformed  element.^  There 
is  a  Rcformirter  Blind,  consisting  of  ministers  who  are  de- 
cidedly attached  to  the  Reformed  confession.. 

On  the  continent  of  Europe  the  Reformed  Church  is 
established  by  law  in  Switzerland  and  Holland.  It  is  well 
organized  in  France  and  Austria- Hungary,  and  has  scat- 
tered congregations  in  other  countries.  National  bound- 
aries are  not  supposed  to  divide  the  church,  and  the  Re- 
formed Church  is  in  Europe  still  regarded  as  practically 
one. 

The  earliest  emigration  from  Germany  to  America  oc- 
curred at  a  time  of  deep  depression,  when  the  condition  of 
the  Reformed  Church  was  well  represented  by  its  chosen 
emblems,  the  burning  bush  and  the  lily  among  thorns. 
It  was  during  this  period  that  the  Classis  of  Bentheim,  in 
northern  Germany,  adopted  a  seal,  w'hich  is  still  in  use, 
bearing  as  its  device  a  ship  tossed  by  the  waves,  with  the 
inscription :  Doniiiic,  salva  nos,  pcrii/ius.  To  these  times 
we  must  go  back  if  w^e  would  comprehend  the  beginnings 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States. 

1  According  to  a  decision  of  tlie  imperial  courts,  the  kings  of  Prussia  are 
still  to  be  regarded  as  members  of  the  Reformed  Church,  inasmuch  as  the 
union  of  churclies  involved  no  confessional  change.  (Cuno's  "  Gedachtniss- 
buch,"  vol.  i.,  p.  82.) 


THE    REFORMED   CHURCH, 
GERMAN. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE    GREAT    MIGRATION. 


Though  the  German  branch  of  the  Reformed  Church 
may  justly  claim  to  be  one  of  the  oldest  Protestant 
churches,  its  establishment  in  this  country  is  considerably 
more  recent  than  that  of  the  church  of  Holland.  Its 
American  history  can  hardly  be  traced  beyond  the  great 
migration  of  German-speaking  people  which  began  in  the 
closing  decade  of  the  seventeenth  century  and  continued 
in  increasing  volume  almost  down  to  the  time  of  the  Rev- 
olution. 

That  there  were  Germans  in  America  at  an  earlier  period 
is  well  known,  and  it  may  perhaps  be  taken  for  granted 
that  some  of  these  pioneers  held  to  the  Reformed  confes- 
sion. Among  the  Dutch  settlers  of  New  Netherland 
there  were  from  the  beginning  isolated  Germans ;  and  we 
may  perhaps  be  permitted  to  refer  to  the  fact  that  Gov- 
ernor Peter  Minuit,  who  after  his  withdrav/al  from  the 
Dutch  service  became  the  leader  of  the  Swedish  colony 
which  in  1638^  settled  on  the  western  shore  of  Delaware 

1  The  colony  set  sail  in  August,    1637,  but  did  not  reach  the  Delaware 
until  April,  1638.      (Acrelius,  p.  23.) 

233 


234  '^'^^^   KEl-'OIiMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  i. 

Bay,  was  a  native  of  the  German  city  of  Wesel,  and  had 
been  a  deacon  in  one  of  the  Reformed  churches  of  his 
native  city.^ 

That  Minuit  deserves  to  be  commemorated  in  American 
history  will  hardly  be  doubted.  It  was  he  who  purchased 
from  the  Indians  all  the  land  between  Cape  Henlopen  and 
the  Falls  of  Trenton,  and  inaugurated  the  policy  of  fair 
dealing  with  the  natives  which  was  continued  and  devel- 
oped by  William  Penn." 

The  connection  of  Governor  Minuit  with  the  colony  of 
New  Sweden  was  brief,^  and  his  influence  in  religious 
matters  can  hardly  have  been  great.  The  Swedish  colony 
which  he  founded  was,  of  course,  Lutheran,  but  Holland- 
ers and  Germans  had  settled  along  the  Delaware  before 
that  region  came  under  the  dominion  of  the  crown  of 
England.  A  Dutch  Reformed  church  was  founded  at 
New  Castle  in  164.2,^  and  this  church  was  still  in  existence 
at  the  arrival  of  William  Penn."* 

There  is  no  claim  of  historic  continuity  between  these 
isolated  pioneers  and  the  German  churches  of  the  succeed- 
ing century.  The  German  immigration  to  America  was 
really  inaugurated  by  Francis  Daniel  Pastorius"  and  his 
little  company  of  mystics,  who  came  to  Pennsylvania  in 
1683,  at  the  invitation  of  William  Penn,  and  founded  Ger- 
mantown. 

1  See  Kapp's  "History  of  Immigration"  and  Broadhead's  "  History  of 
New  York."  In  the  original  Swedish  MSS.  translated  by  the  late  Joseph 
Mickly,  of  Philadelphia,  it  is  also  stated  that  Minuit  was  a  deacon  of  the  Re- 
formed church  of  Wesel. 

2  Acrelius,  p.  23. 

•*  On  tlie  return  voyage  he  visited  the  West  Indian  island  of  St.  Christopher 
to  ol)tain  a  cargo,  and  there  lost  his  life  in  a  hurricane. 

*  Corwin's  "  Manual,"  3d  ed.,  p.  612. 

^  Proud's  "  History  of  Pennsylvania,"  vol.  i.,  p.  261. 

^  Francis  Daniel  Pastorius  (1651-1719)  was  a  man  of  learning  and  a  volu- 
minous writer.  In  1688  he  drew  up  a  memorial  against  slave-holding,  which 
is  regarded  as  the  earliest  American  protest  against  slavery.  It  is  Uie  sub- 
ject of  Whittier's  charming  poem,  "  The  Pennsylvania  Pilgrim." 


WILLIAM  PENN.  235 

William  Penn  had  twice  visited  Germany  and  was  famil- 
iar with  the  condition  of  its  people.  He  was  especially 
impressed  by  the  unfortunate  state  of  the  Mennonites  and 
other  minor  sects,  which  were  in  some  places  very  unjustly 
treated  by  the  government.  That  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  Reformed  Church  is  sufficiently  plain,  for  his 
mother — Margaret  Jasper — was  the  daughter  of  a  Rotter- 
dam merchant  and  had  been  brought  up  in  the  Reformed 
Church,  and  he  had  himself  been  the  pupil  of  the  cele- 
brated Reformed  divine,  Moses  Amyrault.  In  the  Palat- 
inate he  made  many  friends,  and  was  on  terms  of  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  leaders  of  the  Pietists ;  but  it  is  cer- 
tain that  he  was  not  favorable  to  churches  "  as  by  law 
established."  His  sympathy  was  especially  attracted  to 
the  unfortunate  condition  of  the  separatists,  in  whose 
behalf  he  had  vainly  appealed  to  the  civil  authorities. 
While,  therefore,  it  does  not  appear  that  the  settlement  of 
"church  people"  in  Pennsylvania  was  in  any  way  dis- 
couraged, the  earliest  invitation  was  not  addressed  to 
them ;  and  for  some  years  the  greater  number  of  the  Re- 
formed and  Lutherans  avoided  that  province,  because  they 
regarded  it  as  in  a  .special  sense  the  land  of  the  sects. 

For  twenty-five  years  German  immigration  to  America 
remained  a  tiny  rivulet,  but  then  it  suddenly  grew  into  a 
mighty  flood.  So  great  was  the  number  of  emigrants  that 
it  seemed  for  a  time  as  if  the  Rhine  country  would  be  de- 
populated. For  extent  and  comprehensiveness  no  such 
popular  moven.ient  had  taken  place  in  Germany  since  the 
migration  of  nations  that  characterized  the  beginning  of 
the  middle  age.^ 

'  The  number  of  German  immigrants  to  Pennsylvania  before  the  Revolu- 
tion has  been  variously  estimated.  Theodor  Poesche,  a  careful  statistician, 
estimates  the  whole  number  at  158,600;  but  a  writer  in  the  "  Deutsche  Pio- 
nier  "  (vol.  xiv.,  p.  253)  suggests  that  200,000  would  be  more  nearly  correct. 
Dr.  Seidensticker  supposes  that  at  the  middle  of  the  last  century  the  German 


236  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap,  i. 

The  causes  which  led  so  many  thousands  to  leave  their 
fatherland  were  necessarily  various,  but  in  a  general  way 
they  were  closely  connected  with  the  prevailing  misery  of 
Germany.  Of  the  extent  of  this  misery  it  is  difficult  at 
present  to  form  a  proper  conception.  It  embraced  all  the 
relations  of  life — civil,  social,  and  religious ;  so  that,  in  the 
language  of  a  writer  of  the  period,  "  it  seemed  as  if  hope 
had  left  the  earth  forever." 

For  nearly  a  century  Germany  had  been  the  battle- 
ground of  Europe.  The  Thirty  Years'  War  had,  indeed, 
been  nominally  concluded  by  the  Treaty  of  Westphalia,  in 
1648;  but  the  formal  declaration  of  peace  had  brought  no 
real  tranquillity.  This  celebrated  treaty  is  said  to  have 
secured  religious  freedom  to  Protestants ;  but  it  must  be 
remembered  that  this  freedom,  such  as  it  was,  would  never 
have  been  granted  if  it  had  not  been  expected — in  accord- 
ance with  the  policy  of  Richelieu  and  Mazarin — to  pro- 
mote dissension  and  thus  to  aid  in  the  final  dismember- 
ment of  Germany.  The  "three  confessions" — Roman 
Catholic,  Lutheran,  and  Reformed — were  formally  recog- 
nized, but  there  was  a  great  difference  in  the  positions 
which  they  were  severally  made  to  occupy.  The  patron- 
age of  the  imperial  government  was  exclusively  given  to 
the  Roman  Catholics,  to  whom  in  many  villages  which 
were  prevailingly  Protestant  was  granted  possession  of  the 
churches.  Some  of  the  princes  made  their  peace  with 
Rome,  and   the   servile   company  of  their  flatterers  were 

population  of  Pennsylvania  alone  was  from  seventy  to  eighty  thousand.  The 
late  Professor  I.  D.  Rupp  published  a  volume  containing  the  names  of  up- 
ward of  30,000  Germans  who  landed  at  the  port  of  Philadelphia,  hut  these 
constituted  only  a  part  of  the  entire  number.  After  the  Revolution  the  Ger- 
man immigration  was  for  many  years  comparatively  small,  and  it  was  not 
until  about  1840  that  another  popular  movement  began  which  brought  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  innnigrants  to  this  country,  and  which  may  be  said  to 
continue  to  the  present  day.  Of  course  the  Reformed  Church  has  derived 
important  elements  from  recent  immigration,  but  it  is  with  the  earlier  move- 
ment that  we  are  at  present  especially  concerned. 


THE   INVASION  OF   THE   PA  LA  TINA  TE.  237 

only  too  ready  to  follow  their  example.  "  The  govern- 
ment," says  Loher,  "  cared  nothing  for  the  people,  and 
almost  everywhere  the  party  which  happened  to  be  in 
power  oppressed  dissenters.  This  state  of  things  was 
worst  in  the  Palatinate,  where  the  electors  changed  their 
religion  three  times  in  as  many  reigns.  The  whole  coun- 
try was  expected  to  follow  the  example  of  its  rulers,  and 
whoever  was  unwilling  to  submit  could  do  no  better  than 
to  take  up  his  pilgrim's  stafT  and  leave  his  native  land." 

Louis  XIV.  of  France,  in  1657,  spent  vast  sums  in  an 
attempt  to  bribe  the  electors  to  choose  him  emperor  of 
Germany  ;  and  when  he  finally  failed  in  his  purpose  his 
rage  and  desire  of  revenge  knew  no  bounds.  In  the  name 
of  his  sister-in-law,  Elizabeth  Charlotte  of  Orleans,  who 
had  been  a  Palatine  princess,  he  violently  laid  claim  to 
her  hereditary  estates,  and  again  and  again  sent  his  armies 
to  ravage  the  banks  of  the  Rhine.  The  raids  of  Turenne, 
in  1674  and- 1675,  were  sufficiently  destructive;  but  for 
merciless  atrocity  the  invasion  of  the  Palatinate  in  1688-89 
is  almost  unexampled  in  history.  In  one  year  Worms, 
Mainz,  Speyer,  Mannheim,  Heidelberg,  and  many  other 
cities  and  villages  were  either  burned  or  utterly  devas- 
tated. The  castle  of  Heidelberg,  the  chief  residence  of 
the  electors  of  the  Palatinate,  was  ruined,  and  its  remains 
still  stand  as  a  memorial  of  that  awful  time.  General 
Melac,  it  is  said,  cut  down  all  the  vines  on  the  hillsides 
near  Heidelberg,  thus  depriving  the  people  of  their  sole 
means  of  subsistence ;  and  thousands  were  driven  from 
their  homes  in  the  dead  of  winter.  Many  of  these  found 
a  refuge  in  Switzerland  and  Holland,  but  multitudes  died 
of  starvation. 

Not  the  Palatinate  alone,  but  all  the  surrounding  coun- 
tries, suffered  intensely  during  this  dreadful  period.  "War," 
said  Turenne,  "  is  a  terrible  monster,  which  must  needs  be 


238  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  i. 

fed;"  and  all  the  Rhine  provinces,  with  Alsace,  Upper 
Hesse,  Baden-Durlach,  and  Wiirtemberg,  were  swept  by 
constant  raids.  Switzerland  was  overcrowded  with  Hu- 
guenots and  Palatines,  so  that  the  poverty  of  the  people 
became  extreme.  Trade  had  found  new  channels,  and 
the  ships  of  Hamburg  and  Bremen  lay  rotting  at  their 
wharves.  The  Peace  of  Ryswick,  in  1697,  brought  an  in- 
terval of  peace,  but  it  continued  only  until  the  breaking 
out  of  the  War  of  the  Spanish  Succession,  in  i  701.  Indeed, 
it  is  doubtful  if  the  condition  of  the  people  was  more  toler- 
able during  this  brief  interval  than  it  had  been  before;  for 
the  soldiers  who  robbed  the  land  had  at  least  been  prodigal 
with  their  booty,  and  in  this  way  some  fragments  had 
found  their  way  back  to  their  rightful  owners ;  but  now 
even  this  uncertain  means  of  subsistence  was  taken  away, 
and  the  sufferings  of  the  people  were  greatly  increased. 
The  defeat  of  the  French  by  Marlborough  and  Prince 
Eugene,  at  Blenheim,  in  i  704,  may  be  said  to  have  con- 
cluded the  period  of  invasions,  but  the  misery  of  the 
fatherland  was  not  diminished.  For  several  years  the  har- 
vests failed,  and  the  winter  of  1708-09  was  the  severest 
that  had  ever  been  known.  "  It  was  so  cold,"  says  Loher, 
"  that  the  birds  froze  in  the  air  and  the  wild  beasts  in  the 
forest."  ^  "  Then,"  says  an  early  writer,  "  men  looked  into 
each  others'  faces  and  said,  '  Let  us  go  to  America,  and  if 
we  perish  we  perish.'  " 

In  the  spring  of  1709  a  great  multitude  of  people  has- 
tened down  the  Rhine,  hardly  knowing  whither  they  went. 
It  had  been  reported  that  Queen  Anne  of  England  had 
been  touched  with  sympathy  for  the  suffering  Palatines, 
and  had  kindly  invited  them  to  seek  a  home  in  her  Ameri- 
can colonies.  If  tiiis  invitation  was  actually  extended  the 
good  queen  must  certainly  have  been  surprised  at  the  num- 
1  "  Geschiclite  der  Deutschen  in  Amerika,"  p.  42. 


THE   EMIGRATION.  239 

ber  of  people  who  accepted  it.  More  than  thirty  thousand 
Palatines,  who  had  found  their  way  to  England,  encamped 
near  London,  clamoring  for  transportation  to  the  colonies. 
A  few  ship-loads  of  emigrants  might  have  been  welcome, 
but  now  it  seemed  as  if  a  whole  nation  were  coming. 
English  laborers  were  jealous  of  the  intruders,  and  the 
ominous  cry  of  "No  popery"  was  raised,  so  that  the  gov- 
ernment deemed  it  prudent  to  send  the  Roman  Catholics 
back  to  Germany.  Attempts  were  made  to  find  places 
for  some  of  the  Palatines,  and  the  Duke  of  Sussex  settled 
several  hundred  of  them  on  his  estates.  Between  three 
and  four  thousand  were  placed  on  certain  unoccupied  lands 
in  the  county  of  Limerick,  in  Ireland,^  and  a  settlement 
was  also  attempted  on  the  Scilly  Islands.  Gradually  a 
large  number  of  Palatines  were  transported  to  America, 
and  these  were  scattered  in  little  companies  through  most 
of  the  British  colonies.  The  settlements  undertaken  in 
the  South  did  not  generally  prove  successful :  at  Biloxi 
they  died  of  yellow  fever;  in  North  Carolina  they  were 
massacred  by  the  Tuscarora  Indians.  In  the  North  they 
settled  in  large  numbers  in  the  province  of  New  York, 
where  they  were  expected  to  level  the  pine  forests  and  to 
provide  tar  for  the  use  of  the  British  navy.  Pennsylvania 
received  a  smaller  number,  but  in  that  province  the  liber- 
ality of  the  government  promoted  the  prosperity  of  the 
settlers.  It  was  not  long  before  the  stream  of  immigra- 
tion was  attracted  to  Philadelphia,  and  Pennsylvania  be- 
came in  a  special  sense  the  German  colony. 

Though  at  first  the  larger  number  of  immigrants  came 
from  the  Palatinate,  the  name  Palatine,  as  applied  to  all  of 
them,  soon  became  a  misnomer.      The  Swiss  element  was 

1  Among  the  descendants  of  these  Irisli  Palatines  John  Wesley  made  some 
of  his  earliest  converts,  and  Embury  and  Barbara  Heck  were  of  Palatine  de- 
scent. 


240  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAX.       [Chap.  i. 

large,  and  east  of  the  Schuylkill  River  was  probably  pre- 
dominant. In  fact,  every  province  in  the  Rhine  country 
furnished  its  contingent  to  the  great  migration,  though 
the  number  that  came  from  other  parts  of  Germany  was 
very  small.  As  the  Reformed  Church  was  the  leading 
ecclesiastical  organization  along  the  whole  course  of  the 
Rhine,  it  is  plain  why  the  greater  number  of  the  early  im- 
migrants were  attached  to  the  Reformed  confession.  In 
a  report  presented  to  the  Synod  of  South  Holland,  con- 
vened at  Breda  in  1730,  it  is  stated  that  at  that  time  "  the 
Reformed  constituted  more  than  half  of  the  whole  number 
[of  Germans  in  Pennsylvania],  being  about  fifteen  thou- 
sand." As  the  great  migration  extended  to  other  parts 
of  Germany  the  Lutherans  in  America  rapidly  increased 
in  numbers,  and  long  before  the  end  of  the  century  they 
had  become  the  larger  body. 

That  the  pioneers  were  poor  is  sufficiently  plain,  though 
few  of  them,  perhaps,  were  as  poor  as  the  settlers  at  Scho- 
harie, N.  Y.,  of  whom  Rupp  relates  that  nine  of  them 
clubbed  together  to  buy  an  old  horse  to  be  used  succes- 
sively by  all  of  them  for  agricultural-  purposes.  A  few 
had  brought  with  them  the  means  to  purchase  land  ;  but 
the  best  land  was  covered  by  the  heaviest  timber,  and  it 
took  many  blows  to  fell  the  monarchs  of  the  forest.  Others 
were,  in  actual  want,  especially  after  the  inauguration  of 
the  iniquitous  system,  even  then  called  a  "  traffic  in  souls," 
by  which  poor  people  were  persuaded  to  sail  to  America 
without  paying  their  passage,  and  without  fully  under- 
standing that  they  were  to  be  sold  as  redemptioners. 
They  were,  however,  frugal  and  laborious,  and  before 
many  years  they  rejoiced  in  the  pl'ovidence  that  had 
brought  them  to  America. 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE      FOUNDERS. 

To  determine  the  exact  date  of  the  founding  of  our 
earhest  churches  is  a  very  difficult  task.  For  some  years 
the  records  were  very  imperfectly  kept,  and  in  some  in- 
stances the  names  of  the  founders  are  forgotten.  Devout 
people  met  here  and  there  for  religious  service ;  but  they 
had  no  regular  pastors,  and  there  was  no  one  to  tell  them 
how  interesting  a  record  of  their  work  would  prove  to  their 
descendants. 

The  German  pioneers  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran 
Churches,  as  soon  as  they  had  established  a  settlement, 
invariably  set  apart  a  good  farm  for  the  use  of  the  church 
and  the  parochial  school.  This  farm  was  occupied  by  the 
schoolmaster,  who  also  became  the  precentor,  and  at  a 
later  period  the  organist,  of  the  congregation.  Sometimes 
a  glebe  was  also  set  apart  for  the  minister ;  but  this  gen- 
erally occurred  at  a  later  date,  and  was  even  then  excep- 
tional, for  the  early  pastors  served  many  congregations, 
and  but  one  of  them  could  claim  the  honor  of  being  the 
pastor's  "  home  church."  The  church  was  usually  built 
near  the  school-house,  for  in  the  minds  of  the  founders 
church  and  school  were  inseparably  connected. 

The  early  German  settlers  have  frequently  been  repre- 
sented as  rude  and  illiterate.  That  they  lacked  social 
polish  is  readily  conceded  ;  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  every  German  regarded  it  as  a  religious  duty  to  teach 
his  children  to  read  the  Bible  and  the  catechism,  so  that  they 

241 


242  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chai'.  ii. 

might  be  properly  prepared  for  confirmation  and  the  holy 
communion.  According  to  the  records  preserved  in  the 
State  Department  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  nearly  every  immi- 
grant was  at  least  able  to  write  his  name.  That  they 
were  fond  of  reading  is  evident  from  the  large  number  of 
books  published  in  the  last  century  by  Christopher  Saur 
and  other  German  publishers/  as  well  as  from  the  still 
larger  number  which  are  known  to  have  been  imported  from 
the  fatherland.  Though  not  themselves  learned,  they  had 
a  traditional  reverence  for  learning,  and,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  certain  minor  sects,  were  earnestly  desirous  that 
their  pastors  should  be  educated  men.  The  darkest  period 
was  certainly  not  the  earliest. 

The  schoolmaster  was  in  those  days  a  very  important 
personage.  He  was  ordinarily  the  most  intelligent  man 
in  the  community,  and  in  a  fully  organized  congregation 
was  regarded  as  the  pastor's  chief  assistant.  He  not  only 
taught  the  children  to  read  and  write,  and  to  sing  the 
chorals  which  their  fathers  loved  so  well,  but  he  was  also 
expected  in  due  time  to  instruct  them  in  the  catechism. 
At  funerals  he  was  required  to  lead  in  singing,  and  when 
no  minister  was  present  it  was  the  most  natural  thing  in 
the  world  for  him  to  read  the  burial  service  and  to  speak 
a  few  words  of  consolation.  In  this  way  schoolmasters 
were  in  some  instances  trained  to  be  effective  public 
speakers.2 

1  "  The  First  Century  of  German  Printing  in  America,"  Philadelphia,  1893. 

2  The  following  document,  of  which  the  original  is  in  possession  of  the 
writer,  is  interesting  as  enumerating  the  ordinary  duties  of  the  parochial 
teacher  during  the  colonial  period  : 

"  MEMORANDUM. 

"  On  this  4th  day  of  May,  1747,  I,  the  undersigned,  John  Hoffman,  paro- 
chial teacher  of  the  church  at  Lancaster,  have  promised,  in  the  presence  of 
the  congregation,  to  serve  as  chorister,  and,  as  long  as  we  have  no  pastor,  to 
read  sermons  on  Sunday.  In  summer  I  promise  to  hold  catechetical  instruc- 
tion with  the  young,  as  becomes  a  faithful  teacher,  and  to  lead  them  in  sing- 


PAROCHIAL   SCHOOLS.  243 

Unfortunately  there  was  a  great  lack  of  competent 
teachers.  The  ground  of  the  deficiency  was,  however, 
less  frequently  Hterary  than  moral.  It  often  happened 
that  the  candidates  had  been  teachers  in  the  fatherland, 
but  had  been  dismissed  for  immorality.  Such  persons 
might  deceive  the  people  on  their  first  appearance,  but 
their  true  character  soon  became  apparent.  Others  had 
been  soldiers,  and  with  their  high  temper  and  harsh  man- 
ners became  the  terror  not  only  of  their  school,  but  of  the 
neighborhood.  It  is  always  easier  to  elect  an  officer  than 
to  remove  him,  and  it  sometimes  happened  that  such  men 
occupied  their  positions  for  years,  to  the  great  scandal  of 
the  church  and  the  community. 

Freely  acknowledging  these  deficiencies,  we  recognize 
the  great  value  of  the  system  of  parochial  schools  as  it 
prevailed  at  this  early  period.  Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  see 
how  without  them  the  Reformed  Church  could  have  been 
established  in  this  country.  Pastors,  though  earnestly 
longed  for,  were  slow  in  coming ;  and  if  it  had  not  been 

ing;  and  also  to  attend  to  the  clock.  On  the  other  hand,  the  congregation 
promises  me  an  annual  salary,  consisting  of  voluntary  offerings  from  all  the 
members  of  the  church,  to  be  written  in  a  special  register  and  arranged  ac- 
cording to  the  amount  contributed,  so  that  the  teacher  may  be  adequately 
compensated  for  his  labor. 

' '  Furthermore,  I  have  firmly  and  irrevocably  agreed  with  the  congregation 
on  the  aforesaid  date  that  I  will  keep  school  on  every  working-day  during  the 
entire  year,  as  is  tlie  usual  custom,  and  in  such  manner  as  becomes  a  faithful 
teacher.  In  consideration  whereof  they  promise  me  a  free  dwelling  and  four 
cords  of  wood,  and  have  granted  me  the  privilege  of  charging  for  each  child 
that  may  come  to  school  the  sum  of  five  shillings  (I  say  5  sh.)  for  three 
months,  and  for  the  whole  year  one  pound  (I  write  _^i).  I  promise  to  enter 
upon  my  duties,  if  alive  and  well,  on  the  24th  of  November,  1747. 

"  In  testimony  whereof  I  have  written  the  above  document  and  signed  the 
same  with  my  own  signature,  to  remain  unchanged  for  one  year  from  date. 
Sealed  with  my  usual  signet. 

"John  Hoffman,  Tcaclwr. 

"  Signed  in  presence  of  the  undersigned  witnesses : 
"  Michael  Fordineh, 
Johannes  Diemer, 
John  George  Eschei.man." 


244  ^^^   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  ii. 

for  the  imperfect  ministrations  of  the  better  class  of  paro- 
chial teachers — most  of  whose  names  are  now  forgotten — 
the  greater  number  of  the  earliest  churches  could  hardly 
have  been  founded. 

In  several  instances,  it  is  true,  the  settlers  were  accom- 
panied by  their  pastors.  John  Frederick  Hager,  a  candi- 
datiis  theologian,  accompanied  a  body  of  2138  Palatines — 
who  in  May,  1 709,  arrived  in  New  York — on  their  way  to 
America.^  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
manifested  its  interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  Ger- 
mans by  ordaining  him  for  service  "  among  the  Palatines, 
New  York,"  on  the  20th  of  December,  1709.-  He 
preached  to  the  Reformed  people  at  East  and  West 
Camp,  as  Joshua  von  Kocherthal  did  for  the  Lutherans."' 
His  death  occurred  not  later  than  1723,'*  and,  though  little 
is  known  of  his  labors,  he  may  be  regarded  as  the  founder 
of  the  oldest  German  Reformed  churches  in  the  valleys  of 
the  Hudson  and  the  Mohawk.  His  successor  in  that  field 
was  John  Jacob  Oehl,  who  lived  to  a  great  age  and  ap- 
pears to  have  continued  in  the  ministry  until  the  time  of 
the  Revolution. 

The  pioneer  of  the  Reformed  ministry  in  the  South  was 
Henry  Hoeger,  "  a  very  sober,  honest  man,"  who  accom- 
panied Baron  De  Graffenried's  Swiss  colony,  which,  in  i  7 10, 
founded  New  Berne,  N.  C.  After  the  massacre  by  the 
Tuscarora  Indians,  in  171 1,  Hoeger  and  about  fifty  of  the 
survivors  removed  to  Vireinia.^ 


1  "  Historic  Manual,"  p.  162. 

2  London  "  Notes  and  Queries,"  March,  1884. 

3  He  officiated  at  the  marriage  of  Conrad  Weiser,  the  celebrated  Indian  in- 
terpreter, Novcinl)er  22,  1720.      (Harbaugh's  "  Lives,"  vol.  ii.,  ]i.  373-) 

4  Dr.  B.  M.  Sclmuicker,  in  the  "  Lutheran  and  Missionary,"  1887. 

■'>  Hoeger  served  a  Reformed  congregation  at  Germantown,  Va.,  and  tlie 
ruins  of  liis  old  church  were  known  until  recently.  One  of  his  descendants 
is  the  Hon.  James  Lawson  Kemper,  who  served  as  governor  of  Virginia. 
("  Ref.  Church  Record,"  June  28,  1888.) 


SAMUEL    GULDIN.  245 

The  earliest  ordained  German  minister  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  Pennsylvania  appears  to  have  been  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Guldin,  who  lived  in  Oley,  Berks  County.  He 
had  been  one  of  the  pastors  of  the  cathedral  church  of 
Berne,  Switzerland,  but  was  evicted  from  his  charge 
on  the  ground  of  Pietism.  In  17 18  he  published  two 
small  volumes,  giving  an  account  of  his  trial  and  condem- 
nation, and  soon  afterward  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania, 
where  we  find  him  settled  with  his  family  in  1722.  Ac- 
cording to  the  family  tradition,  he  preached  frequently 
and  acceptably,  but  never  assumed  a  pastoral  charge.  In 
his  old  age  he  published  a  little  book^  in  which  he  declared 
himself  firmly  attached  to  the  confessions  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  He  died  December  31,  1745,  aged  eighty-one 
years. 2 

That  Guldin  continued  to  sympathize  with  the  Pietists 
is  evident  from  his  latest  publication.  He  was,  however, 
not  a  fanatic,  and  his  descendants  were  among  the  found- 
ers of  the  Reformed  church  of  Oley.'^  That  he  had  been 
harshly  treated  in  the  fatherland  is  sufficiently  plain,  and 
if  he  lacked  the  enthusiasm  essential  to  the  organization 
of  church  work  in  a  new  country  the  fact  is  at  least  intel- 
ligible. It  was,  however,  as  we  shall  see,  not  a  learned 
scholar  nor  a  distinguished  orator,  but  a  humble  school- 
master, that  was  called  to  this  important  undertaking. 

It  is  said  that  a  German  Reformed  church  was  built  at 
Germantown,  Pa.,  in  1719,  and  that  the  Swedish  pastor, 
Dylander,  laid  the  corner-stone*     The  fact  that  a  minis- 

1  "  Unpartheyisches  Zeugniiss,"  Germantown,  C.  Saur,  1743. 

2  For  an  extended  account  of  this  remarkable  man,  see  an  article  by  the 
author,  entitled  "  Samuel  Guldin,  Pietist  and  Pioneer,"  in  the  "  Reformed 
Quarterly  Review  "  for  July,  1892. 

3  The  late  John  C.  Guldin,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  an  eminent  minister,  suc- 
cessively connected  with  the  German  and  Dutch  churches,  was  descended 
from  Samuel  GuUlin  in  the  fifth  generation. 

*  "  Halle  Reports,"  Reading  ed.,  p.  62. 


246  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  ii. 

ter  of  another  denomination  was  invited  to  perform  this 
service  renders  it  probable  that  there  was  no  settled  pas- 
tor. The  schoolmaster,  or  some  pious  layman,  conducted 
religious  service  as  best  he  could,  and  the  people  submitted 
to  an  arrangement  which  they  felt  to  be  disorderly,  in 
the  hope  of  soon  receiving  an  ordained  minister  from 
the  fatherland.  Whoever  at  this  time  served  the  church 
at  Germantown,  it  must  have  enjoyed  some  external 
prosperity,  for  after  1725  it  had  a  bell  on  its  place  of 
worship.  1 

The  earliest  Reformed  congregation  in  Pennsylvania,  it 
can  hardly  be  doubted,  was  founded  by  an  isolated  settle- 
ment of  Hollanders  in  the  southern  part  of  Bucks  County, 
in  the  region  which  in  colonial  times  was  known  as  Ne- 
shaminy  or  "Shameny."  There  were  two  preaching- 
stations,  which  together  constituted  a  congregation  whose 
official  title  in  the  records  is  "  Bensalem  and  Sammeny." 
This  congregation  was  organized  May  10,  17 10,  by  the 
Rev.  Paulus  van  Vlecq,  who  had  been  irregularly  ordained 
as  chaplain  of  the  Dutch  troops  proceeding  to  Canada.^ 
The  Bensalem  section  was  in  17 19  reorganized  as  a  Pres- 
byterian church,'^  but  Neshaminy  remained  Reformed,  and 
subsequently  exerted  an  important  influence  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  German  churches.'* 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  church  at  Neshaminy, 
Pastor  Van  Vlecq  visited  certain  outlying  settlements  of 
Hollanders  and  PlattdcntscJi,  a  little  farther  to  the  west, 
in  what  is  now  Montgomery  County.  At  Skippack,  on 
the  29th  of  May,  1710,  he  baptized  ten  children.  On  the 
4th  of  June  he   ordained   elders  and   deacons   at  White 

1  "  Halle  Reports,"  p.  70.  2  Corvvin's  "  Manual,"  p.  526. 

3  Letter  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Streng,  March  23,  1894. 

*  This  church  is  at  Churchville,  Bucks  County.  During  the  greater  part 
of  the  colonial  period  it  was  ecclesiastically  connected  \Tith  the  German 
churches,  but  at  present  it  belongs  to  the  Reformed  Church  in  America. 


JOHN  PHILIP  BOEHM.  247 

Marsh.  The  names  of  the  people  to  whom  he  ministered 
are  preserved  in  his  "Journal";  and  any  one  who  is  at 
all  familiar  with  the  Skippack  region  will  recognize  such 
names  as  De  Wees,  De  Haven,  Hendricks,  Op  de  Graef, 
Umstead,  and  Pannebacker.  Though  there  is  no  proof 
that  a  permanent  organization  was  effected,^  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  we  have  here  the  beginnings  of  the  re- 
ligious movement  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of 
the  churches  at  Skippack  and  White  Marsh." 

About  ten  years  later  these  churches  and  the  church  at 
Falckner's  Swamp  were  founded  as  German  congregations.^ 
Germans  had  settled  in  large  numbers  and  that  region  had 
become  pretty  thoroughly  Germanized.  The  organization 
of  these  churches  was  chiefly  due  to  the  labors  of  a  man 
who  had  not  been  regularly  inducted  into  the  pastoral 
office,  but  who  for  energy  and  self-sacrificing  devotion  de- 
serves to  be  ranked  as  the  foremost  of  the  pioneers. 

John  Philip  Boehm  had  come  to  America  not  later 
than  1 720,  bearing  with  him  testimonials  that  he  had  been 
for  about  seven  years  a  faithful  parochial  schoolteacher  and 
precentor  in  the  Reformed  church  of  the  city  of  Worms, 
and  that  he  was  driven  thence  by  the  Roman  Catholics  for 
holding  the  Reformed  faith."* 

It  is  not  known  whether  Boehm  ever  taught  school  in 
this  country,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  soon  became  a  leader 
in  the  community  and  that  he  was  universally  recognized 
as  a  man  of  eminent  piety.      Soon  after  his  arrival  in  this 

1  Van  Vlecq  left  Neshaminy  in  1713,  and  the  cliurch  was  witliout  a  pastor 
until  1719. 

2  Dotterer's  "  Skippack  Reformed  Church." 

3  Falckner's  Swamp,  in  New  Hanover  Township,  Montgomery  County,  is 
one  of  the  oldest  German  settlements  in  Pennsylvania.  The  Lutheran  church 
of  this  place  was  long  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  German  church  in  Amer- 
ica ;  but  this  view  can  no  longer  be  maintained,  in  consequence  of  recently 
discovered  documents.  (Jacobs's  "  History  of  the  Ev.  Luth.  Church," 
p.  III.) 

*  Dotterer's  "John  Philip  Boehm,"  p.  i. 


248  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chai>.  11. 

country  he  was  induced  to  conduct  religious  meetings,  at 
which  he  read  sermons  from  an  approved  European  col- 
lection. 

Before  1725  congregations  had  been  informally  estab- 
lished at  Falckner's  Swamp,  Skippack,  and  White  Marsh. 
These  congregations  were  vacant,  and,  seeing  no  prospect 
of  securing  an  ordained  minister,  they  unanimously  re- 
quested Boehm  to  assume  the  pastoral  office.  According 
to  his  own  statement,  he  hesitated  long  before  acceding  to 
their  wishes,  explaining  to  the  people  that  such  a  course 
would  be  contrary  to  the  order  of  the  Reformed  Church. 
They  replied  that  he  could  not  justify  himself  in  the  sight 
of  God  for  refusing  to  undertake  a  work  of  such  great 
importance.  Henr)^  Antes,  the  most  prominent  member 
of  the  Falckner's  Swamp  church,  he  says,  pleaded  with 
him  with  tears  to  accept  a  call  which  was  so  manifestly 
providential.  Before  the  close  of  the  year  1725  Boehm 
yielded  to  these  solicitations,  and  from  this  time  to  the 
end  of  his  life  he  continued  in  the  pastoral  office.  His 
remuneration  consisted  of  such  voluntary  offerings  as  the 
people  felt  able  to  give. 

For  two  or  three  years  Boehm  labored  faithfully,  bap- 
tizing several  hundred  children  and  preaching  at  many 
outlying  places  in  the  spirit  of  a  true  evangelist.  Then, 
however,  trouble  came,  and  for  a  while  it  was  a  serious 
question  whether  he  ought  to  continue  his  pastoral  work. 

On  the  2 1st  of  September,  1727,  George  Michael  Weiss, 
an  ordained  minister,  arrived  from  Germany.  He  had 
been  sent  to  this  country  by  "  the  upper  Consistory,  or 
Classis,  of  the  Palatinate,"  and  his  regular  standing  in  the 
church  could  not  be  doubted.  Some  of  the  members  of 
the  Skippack  church  now  insisted  that  the  time  had  come 
for  Boehm  to  withdraw  from  the  pastorate,  to  make  room 
for  Weiss,  who  had  been  regularly  ordained. 


BOEHiWS   ORDINATION.  249 

Weiss  immediately  organized  a  church  in  Philadelphia,^ 
and  soon  afterward  began  to  preach  also  at  Skippack. 
Boehm  and  his  friends  appreciated  the  irregularity  of  their 
position,  and  sought  the  advice  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch) 
ministers  of  Nev/  York,  who  recommended  that  the  whole 
matter  should  be  referred  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam. '- 
In  this  event  we  have  the  practical  beginning  of  the  inti- 
mate relations  of  the  German  Reformed  churches  of  Penn- 
sylvania with  the  Church  of  Holland  which  continued  for 
so  many  years. 

In  their  letter  to  Holland  the  Pennsylvania  commis- 
sioners explained  at  length  the  circumstances  under  which 
Boehm  had  been  called  to  the  pastorate,  at  the  same  time 
expressing  the  fear  that  if  he  should  withdraw  from  the 
ministry'  their  condition  might  be  even  more  deplorable 
than  it  had  been  before  he  began  his  work.  In  their 
reply,  dated  June  29,  1729,  the  church  in  Holland  declared 
that  "  under  the  circumstances  all  the  transactions  of  the 
said  Boehm — his  teachings,  even  his  administration  of 
baptism  and  of  the  Lord's  Supper — must  be  deemed  law- 
ful "  ;  but  that  "  to  supply  what  has  hitherto  been  lacking, 
he  must  be  ordained  to  the  ministry  according  to  ecclesi- 
astical usage."  Boehm  was  accordingly  ordained  in  New 
York,  on  the  23d  of  November,  i  729,  by  the  Rev.  Henricus 
Boel  and  the  Rev.  Gualterius  du  Bois.  Weiss  was  pres- 
ent at  the  ordination  of  Boehm,  and  on  the  next  day  the 
two  ministers  were  formally  reconciled.  Boehm  was  to  re- 
main pastor  of  the  Falckner's  Swamp,  Skippack,  and  White 
Marsh  churches,  and  Weiss  was  directed  to  take  charge  of 

1  The  elders  elected  in  1727  by  the  church  in  Philadelphia  were  Peter 
Lecolie,  John  William  Roerig,  Ileinrich  Weller,  and  George  Peter  Hillen- 
gass.     (Reiff's  "  Petition  in  Chancery.") 

2  The  correspondence  has  been  preserved  among  the  records  of  the  Col- 
legiate church  of  New  York,  and  was  translated  and  published  in  the 
"  Mercersburg  Review"  for  October,  1876,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  T.  W.  Cham- 
bers, of  New  York. 


250  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,  GERMAN.     [Chap.  ii. 

Philadelphia  and  Germantown.  From  this  time  forth  these 
worthy  pioneers  labored  in  perfect  harmony. 

Boehm  did  not  long  remain  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Skippack,  though  he  served  the  rest  of  his  charge  for 
many  years.  Two  years  later  we  find  this  church  uniting 
with  a  number  of  congregations  which  had  organized  far- 
ther north  and  west  in  calling  a  pastor  who  had  arrived 
from  the  fatherland. 

John  Henry  Goetschius  (or  Goetsch}^)  was  a  native  of 
the  canton  of  Zurich,  in  Switzerland.  In  the  substantial 
books  of  record  which  he  procured  for  his  congregations 
he  styles  himself  "  Helvetico-Tigurinus,"  adding  to  his 
signature  a  few  devout  sentences  in  Greek  and  Latin.  ^ 
On  the  title-page  of  the  "  church  book  "  of  New  Goshen- 
hoppen  he  enumerates  his  congregations,  in  1731,  as  fol- 
lows :  Skippack,  Old  Goshenhoppen,  New  Goshenhoppen, 
Swamp,  Saucon,  Egypt,  Macedonia,  Misillem,  Oley,  Bern, 
and  Tulpehocken.  These  congregations  were  scattered 
over  a  district  now  included  in  the  counties  of  Montgom- 
ery, Northampton,  Lehigh,  Berks,  and  Lebanon.  It  was 
an  immense  diocese,  and  a  visit  to  the  remote  churches 
must  have  involved  hardships  of  which  we  can  hardly  form 
a  proper  conception. 

Goetschius  came  to  this  country — apparently  in  1728 
— as  a  cafididatus  thcologicc,  with  authority  to  administer 
the  sacraments. 2  In  1737  he  was  regularly  ordained  by 
the  Presbyterian  Synod  of  Philadelphia.  Soon  after  this 
event  he  withdrew  from  his  field  in  Pennsylvania,  and  his 
subsequent  history  cannot  be  certainly  traced. 

Several  other  ministers  named  Goetschius  are  mentioned 
in   the   early   history  of  the  Reformed  churches  of  this 

1  Goetschius  kept  his  record  of  baptisms  in  Latin,  and  it  is  an  interesting 
fact  that  in  several  congregations  which  he  founded  the  record  was  until  re- 
cently continued  in  the  same  language. 

2  llarbaugh,  vol.  i.,  p.  293. 


GOETSCHIUS.  251 

country.  "In  1734,"  says  Loher,  "four  hundred  Swiss, 
natives  of  the  canton  of  Zurich,  were  on  their  way  to 
Carohna  under  the  leadership  of  their  pastor,  Goetschy  of 
Saletz  ;  but  most  of  them  failed  to  reach  their  destination."  1 
According  to  the  manuscript  "Ziiricher  Geschlechtsbuch," 
Pastor  Moritz  Goetschy,  of  Saletz,  emigrated  from  Zurich 
on  the  4th  of  October,  1734,  accompanied  by  his  family. 
He  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  but  suddenly  fell  dead  as  soon 
as  he  stepped  on  shore.-  One  of  his  sons,  named  Henry, 
who  was  but  seventeen  years  old  at  the  time  of  his  father's 
death,  immediately  began  to  preach,  and  became  pastor  of 
a  charge  in  Pennsylvania.^  It  may  perhaps  be  taken  for 
granted  that  the  family  was  nearly  related  to  John  Henry 
Goetschius,  and  that  the  young  man  began  to  preach  under 
his  direction.'* 

In  the  same  vessel  with  Moritz  Goetschius  arrived  John 
Conrad  Wirtz  (or  Wuertz),  candidatus  theologian.  He  was 
a  son  of  a  recently  deceased  chief  pastor  of  the  cathedral 
church  of  Zurich,  and  was  evidently  well  educated. ■'>  His 
wife's  name  was  Elizabeth  Goetschius,  and  she  was  prob- 

^  "  Die  Deutschen  in  Amerika, "  p.  68. 

2  Letter  of  Dr.  H.  Escher,  city  librarian  of  Zurich,  February  2,  1892. 

3  There  is  an  inaccuracy  in  the  Swiss  record  which  makes  it  appear  that 
the  death  of  Moritz  Goetschius  occurred  in  1736.  We  are,  however,  enabled 
to  fix  the  date  with  certainty  from  the  list  of  immigrants  published  by  Rupp, 
and  from  the  more  recently  printed  "  Pennsylvania  Archives,"  vol.  xvii. 
Moritz  Goetschius  arrived  in  the  ship  "  Mercury"  from  Rotterdam,  May  29, 
1835.  His  name,  of  course,  does  not  appear  in  the  published  lists,  as  he 
died  before  the  ship's  company  could  present  themselves  at  the  court-house 
to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance;  but  we  have  the  names  of  Henry  Goetschy, 
Rudolph  Goetschy,  and^  Moritz  Goetschy,  of  whom  the  two  last  mentioned 
are  said  to  have  been  under  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  names  of  the  female 
members  of  the  family  are  not  recorded. 

4  J.  Henry  Goetschius,  Jr.  (1718-74),  was  an  eminent  minister  of  the  Re- 
formed (Dutch)  Church  in  New  Jersey.  From  the  exact  correspondence  in 
age  we  suppose  him  to  have  been  the  son  of  Moritz  Goetschius,  above  men- 
tioned, and  not  of  John  Henry,  the  elder,  as  has  been  hitherto  supposed. 

5  According  to  the  family  record  of  the  Wirtz  family,  furnished  for  this 
work  by  Dr.  Hans  Wirtz,  rector  of  the  gymnasium  of  Zurich,  John  Conrad 
Wirtz  was  born  November  30,  1710.     His  forefathers  for  three  generations 


252  THE   REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  ii. 

ably  a  daughter  or  other  near  relative  of  Moritz.  That 
he  allowed  himself  to  be  persuaded  to  undertake  the 
work  of  the  ministry  is  not  surprising ;  but  he  seems  to 
have  remained  longer  without  ordination  than  the  circum- 
stances imperatively  demanded,  i 

Wirtz  became  the  successor  of  J.  H.  Goetschius  in  that 
portion  of  his  charge  which  is  now  included  in  Northamp- 
ton and  Lehigh  counties.  His  name  appears  in  the  records 
of  the  Egypt  and  Lower  Saucon  churches,  and  several 
other  churches  in  that  region  claim  him  as  their  founder. 
In  1750  he  removed  to  New  Jersey,  where  he  was  regu- 
larly ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick.  In 
I  761  he  became  pastor  of  the  Reformed  church  at  York, 
Pa.,  but  died  in  1763,  after  two  years'  service.  Harbaugh 
says :  "  Tradition  has  preserved  his  name  in  good  savor,  as 
an  earnest  and  pious  minister."  In  York  he  built  a  new 
church.  "  At  the  time  of  his  death  the  floor  was  not  yet 
laid;  so  they  buried  him  under  the  altar."2 

The  migration  from  the  fatherland  arrived  in  successive 
waves,  and  those  who  crossed  the  sea  together  frequently 
settled  in  the  same  neighborhood.  In  the  region  in  which 
Goetschius  and  Wirtz  began  their  labors — between  the 
Delaware  and  Schuylkill  rivers,  north  of  the  valley  of  the 
Perkiomen — most  of  the  people  were  of  their  own  nation- 
ality. The  Swiss  immigration  was  largest  between  1730 
and  1736,  and  some  congregations  were  almost  exclusively 
composed  of  Swiss  immigrants.  They  were  not  as  poor 
as  most  of  the  earlier  settlers  had  been,  and  were  by  no 
means  lacking  in  intelligence.  Concerning  a  large  party 
which  left  Zurich  about  1732,  Salomon  Hess,  chief  pastor 

were  eminent  clergymen,  and  his  elilcr  l)rotlier,  Jakob,  was  also  active  in  the 
ministry.  They  belonged  to  the  branch  of  the  family  which  in  Switzerland 
is  known  as  "  Engel-Wirtz." 

1  Harbaugh's  "  Life  of  Schlatter,"  p.  137. 

2  "  Lives  of  the  Fathers,"  vol.  i.,  p.  393. 


TULPEHOCKEN  AND  LANCASTER.  253 

of  that  city,  says  in  a  book  which  we  quote  from  memory : 
"  There  was  no  good  reason  at  that  time  for  them  to  leave 
their  fatherland ;  but  they  were  seized  by  an  insane  desire 
to  go  to  America.  Many  of  them  were  in  good  circum- 
stances and  might  have  remained  comfortably  at  home. 
A  few  may  have  felt  oppressed  by  poverty,  but  work  was 
plenty.  The  whole  movement  must  be  characterized  as 
a  piece  of  folly."  This,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  a  Swiss 
view  of  the  subject,  taken  a  century  after  the  event.  The 
emigrants  themselves  might  have  had  another  story  to  tell. 

In  the  region  west  of  the  Schuylkill  the  most  important 
congregations  were  Tulpehocken  and  Lancaster.  Goet- 
schius  records  the  fact  that  he  preached  at  Tulpehocken 
in  1731  ;  but  the  church  at  Lancaster  has  no  records  earlier 
than  1736,  in  which  year  its  earliest  house  of  worship  was 
erected.  About  half-way  between  these  two  places  there 
were  several  small  congregations  in  a  district  popularly 
known  as  WeisscicJienland — "  the  land  of  the  white  oaks  " 
— which  were  generally  served  from  Lancaster.  At  times 
they  were,  however,  supplied  with  preaching  by  a  pious 
tailor  named  Conrad  Tempelman,  who  may  be  regarded  as 
the  founder  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  a  region  of  which 
the  present  town  of  Lebanon  is  the  center. 

Concerning  the  beginning  of  the  churches  in  the  present 
counties  of  Berks,  Lebanon,  Lancaster,  and  York,  there 
are  few  extant  documents.  It  may,  however,  be  remarked 
that  in  this  region  the  Swiss  element  was  less  important 
than  in  the  present  counties  of  Montgomery,  Bucks,  North- 
ampton, and  Lehigh.  We  are,  therefore,  not  surprised  to 
find  that  the  people,  who  were  mostly  emigrants  from  the 
Palatinate,  extended  a  cordial  welcome  to  ministers  yvho 
were  sent  to  them  from  their  native  province.  Pure  Ger- 
man was,  of  course,  always  employed  in  the  pulpit ;  but 
it  must  have  added  greatly  to  the  freedom  of  social  inter- 


254  ^-^^  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  ii. 

course  when  a  pastor  was  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
native  dialect  of  his  people.  In  time  the  Palatinate  dialect 
took  the  lead,  and,  by  admitting  certain  English  words  and 
forms,  became  the  basis  of  what  is  now  called  Pennsylvania 
German ;  but  at  first  there  were  differences  in  speech  and 
customs  which  could  not  be  ignored. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    MISSION    FROM    HEIDELBERG. 

The  church  of  the  Palatinate  followed  its  emigrants 
with  affectionate  sympathy.  Though  the  province  had 
been  greatly  impoverished  by  recent  wars,  the  Oberconsis- 
toruun,  then  located  at  Heidelberg,  frequently  considered 
the  destitute  condition  of  their  brethren  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  made  efforts  to  aid  them,  to  the  extent  at  least  of 
paying  the  expenses  of  young  ministers  or  caiid'idati  on 
their  voyage  to  America. 

The  earliest  of  the  ministers  who  were  thus  aided  was 
George  Michael  Weiss,  to  whose  relations  with  Boehm  we 
have  already  referred.  As  he  exerted  an  important  in- 
fluence on  the  development  of  the  church,  it  is  proper  to 
relate  such  facts  as  are  known  concerning  his  personal 
history. 

George  Michael  Weiss  was  born  at  Stebbach — "  a  Pala- 
tine place  in  the  Neckar  Valley  "^ — about  1700.  He  was 
educated  in  the  University  of  Heidelberg,  and  became  a 
fine  classical  scholar.  In  1725  he  was  ordained  at  Heidel- 
berg, and  two  years  later  emigrated  to  America.  His 
name  appears  at  the  head  of  the  earliest  recorded  list  of 
immigrants,-  and  it  has  been  held  that  he  was  the  leader 
of  a  "  colony,"  consisting  chiefly  of  his  former  parishioners  ; 
but  the  evidence  on  this  subject  is  not  clear.  Very  soon 
after  his  arrival  he  organized  a  church  in  Philadelphia,  and 

1  "  Chronicon  Ephratense,"  p.  70.  2   Rupp's  "  Collection,"  p.  49. 

255 


256  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  hi. 

also  began  preaching  in  Skippack.  In  the  Philadelphia 
papers  he  advertised  for  pupils  in  the  ancient  languages, 
French,  and  music  ;  and  teaching  was  probably  at  this  time 
his  chief  means  of  support. 

The  most  prominent  member  of  the  Skippack  church 
was  a  miller  named  Jacob  Reiflf.  In  i  729  this  man  deter- 
mined to  visit  his  old  home  in  Germany,  and  Weiss  agreed 
to  accompany  him.  As  the  Reformed  churches  of  Phila- 
delphia and  Skippack  were  in  great  financial  straits,  Reiff 
and  Weiss  were  formally  requested  by  the  officers  of  these 
churches  to  collect  money  and  good  books  for  them  in 
Europe.  It  was  generally  supposed  that  Weiss  would  not 
return  to  America,  and  the  financial  responsibility  was 
therefore  committed  to  Reiff. ^  On  his  return  to  America 
the  latter  delayed  to  make  settlement,  and  this  led  to  a 
protracted  suit  in  chancery.  The  matter  was  in  many  re- 
spects unpleasant ;  but  as  Weiss  was  not  in  charge  of  the 
funds  collected,  he  was  not  involved  in  the  case.  Reiff,  it 
must  be  confessed,  was  careless  in  keeping  his  accounts, 
but  there  is  no  evidence  of  dishonesty.  A  part  of  the 
money  was  perhaps  imprudently  invested  by  him  in  mer- 
chandise whicti  he  believed  could  be  sold  to  advantage  in 
Philadelphia  for  the  benefit  of  the  churches ;  but  through 
a  series  of  mishaps  these  goods  were  for  several  years 
detained  in  a  British  custom-house,  and  were  released  only 
after  the  payment  of  a  large  sum  for  duties  and  storage. 
This  detention  naturally  prevented  an  early  settlement. 
We  do  not  know  the  exact  amount  collected,  but  probably 
not  more  than  two  thousand  dollars  in  our  present  money, 
though  it  was  generally  supposed  to  be  a  larger  sum. 
As  the  churches  had  promised  to  pay  Reiff's  traveling- 
expenses,  and   as   he   claimed  credit  for  ^150  previously 

1  See  "  Papers  on  tlic  Reiff  Case,"  "  Ref.  CIi.  Review,"  1893 ;  also  "  His- 
toric Manual,"  p.  169. 


IVEISS  AND  RIEGER.  257 

advanced  by  him  toward  the  erection  of  the  church  at 
Skippack,  it  is  evident  that  the  sum  remaining  after  these 
deductions  cannot  have  been  very  large.  The  matter  was 
not  finally  arranged  until  after  the  arrival  of  Michael 
Schlatter,  who  received  from  Reiff  a  balance  of  about  six 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  after  which  he  published  a  card 
expressing  his  confidence  in  Reiff's  integrity. 

Mr.  Weiss  returned  to  America  in  1731,  leaving  Reiff 
in  Germany,  where  he  remained  one  year  longer.  During 
his  brief  visit  to  the  fatherland  Weiss  gained  the  confidence 
of  the  church  of  Holland,  and  prepared  the  way  for  its 
subsequent  missionary  activity  among  the  Germans  in 
America.  He  was,  no  doubt,  also  instrumental  in  induc- 
ing several  young  men  who  had  been  his  fellow-students 
at  Heidelberg  to  follow  him  across  the  sea. 

On  his  return  to  America  Weiss  settled  among  the 
Germans  in  New  York,  laboring  chiefly  in  Dutchess  and 
Schoharie  counties.  In  i  746  he  was  driven  away  by  In- 
dian depredations,  anci  found  a  refuge  in  Pennsylvania. 
Here  he  took  charge  of  the  Old  and  New  Goshenhoppen 
and  Great  Swamp  congregations,  where  he  labored  faith- 
fully until  I  761.     The  exact  date  of  his  death  is  not  known. 

Weiss  was  a  man  of  ability  and  force  of  character.  On 
the  arrival  of  Schlatter  he  became  his  chief  assistant  in 
the  work  of  ecclesiastical  organization.  He  wrote  several 
pamphlets  in  German  and  Dutch,  which  have  now  become 
excessively  rare. 

John  Bartholomew  Rieger  (i  707-69)  appears  to  have 
accompanied  Weiss  on  his  return  voyage.  He  had  been 
educated  at  Basel  and  Heidelberg,^  and  was  also  a  trained 
physician.  He  settled  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  and  supplied  the 
church  in  that  place  for  a  few  years,  but  was  generally 
occupied  in  preaching  for  country  churches.  Indeed,  he 
1  "  Chronicon  Ephratense,"  p.  70. 


258  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  hi. 

seems  never  to  have  fully  gained  the  confidence  of  the 
people  of  Lancaster;  and  this  was  probably  due  to  the 
fact  that  he  cared  more  for  his  medical  practice  than  for 
his  pastoral  work.  He  was,  however,  a  man  of  some  talent, 
wrote  religious  poetry  for  Saur's  paper,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  the  organization  of  the  Coetus. 

John  Peter  Miller,  who  arrived  in  1730,  was  also  sent 
by  the  Consistoriitin  of  Heidelberg.  Though  he  soon 
separated  from  the  Reformed  Church,  his  subsequent 
career  is  interesting  as  reflecting  the  peculiar  character  of 
the  times. 

Miller  was  born  in  17 10,  in  the  district  of  Lantern,  in 
the  Palatinate.  Concerning  his  early  history  little  is 
known ;  but  he  was  a  fellow-student  of  Weiss  and  Rieger 
at  Heidelberg.  He  came  to  this  country  with  special 
authority  to  ^(dminister  the  sacraments,  and  soon  after  his 
arrival  was  formally  ordained  by  the  Presbyterian  Synod 
of  Philadelphia.  The  Rev.  Jedediah  Andrews,  a  member 
of  the  latter  body,  has  left  on  record  his  impressions  of  his 
extraordinary  scholarship.  "We  gave  him,"  he  says,  "a 
question  to  discuss  about  justification,  and  he  answered  it 
in  a  whole  sheet  of  paper  in  a  very  notable  manner.  He 
speaks  Latin  as  well  as  we  do  our  native  tongue."  ^  Soon 
afterward  Miller  became  pastor  of  the  church  which  Goet- 
schius  had  founded  at  Tulpehocken.  The  settlement  was, 
of  course,  much  more  extensive  than  the  present  pastoral 
charge. 

The  story  of  the  founding  of  that  settlement  is  interest- 
ing, not  to  say  romantic.  It  will  be  remembered  that  in 
1723  a  part  of  the  German  settlement  in  Esopus,  or  Ulster 
County,  N.  Y.,  wearied  by  repeated  acts  of  unkindness  and 
oppression  on  the  part  of  the  colonial  government,  turned 
their  faces  toward  Pennsylvania.  Guided  by  friendly  In- 
1  Ilarbaugh's  "  Lives  of  the  Fathers,"  voh  i.,  p.  302. 


JOHN  PETER  MILLER.  259 

dians,  they  made  their  way  through  the  forest  until  they 
came  to  the  mouth  of  the  Swatara.  Ascending  that  stream, 
they  came  to  the  fertile  region  which  the  Indians  called 
Tulpehocken — "  the  land  of  the  turtles  " — and  here  at  once 
they  began  to  cultivate  the  soil.  If  the  story  of  their 
experiences  could  be  fully  related,  it  would  certainly  be 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  episodes  in  our 
colonial  history.^ 

The  early  settlers  of  Tulpehocken  were  of  the  Reformed 
and  Lutheran  confessions,  and,  according  to  the  "  Chroni- 
con  Ephratense,"  "  they  had  agreed  among  themselv^es  not 
to  suffer  among  them  any  who  were  differently  minded ; 
so  that  many  who  were  of  like  persuasion  came  to  them." 
These  precautions,  however,  failed  to  guard  them  from  the 
evils  which  they  feared. 

For  four  years  Miller  labored  faithfully  in  his  charge  at 
Tulpehocken.  He  built  a  church,  and  his  people  were 
harmonious  and  hopeful.  Then,  however,  he  came  into 
contact  with  Conrad  Beissel,  the  founder  of  the  Order 
of  the  Solitary,  at  Ephrata;  and  under  the  influence  of 
this  extraordinary  man,  who  has  been  called  "  the  magi- 
cian of  the  Conestoga,"  he  renounced  his  pastoral  charge 
and  became  a  mystic  and  a  monk. 

Conrad  Beissel  (i  691-1768)  was  born  in  the  village  of 
Eberbach,  in  the  Palatinate.  His  father  died  before  he 
was  born  and  his  mother  when  he  was  six  years  old.  His 
early  education  was  consequently  neglected  ;  but  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  he  was  unusually  talented.  He  learned 
to  write  his  native  language  with  fluency,  was  regarded 
as  a  natural  mathematician,  and  became  a  musician  of  a 
superior  order.  From  early  childhood  he  was  impressed 
with  the  idea  that  he  would  be  called  to  some  wonderful 
work;  and  though  his  poverty  induced  him  to  become  a 
1  Rupp's  "  History  of  Berks  and  Lebanon  Counties,"  p.  98. 


26o  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  hi. 

baker,  he  never  doubted  that  in  due  time  he  was  to  be  a 
leader  of  men.  Though  he  was  baptized  and  confirmed 
in  the  Reformed  Church,  it  had  no  attractions  for  his  mys- 
tical nature.  He  sought  the  acquaintance  of  prominent 
pietists,  and  soon  became  more  mystical  than  his  teachers. 
Even  at  this  early  period  he  ofTered  his  "  testimony  " 
against  marriage  and  glorified  the  monastic  life.  The 
"  Chronicon  Ephratense''^  contains  a  full  account  of  his 
early  experiences,  written  by  an  enthusiastic  admirer,  from 
which  jt  appears  that  he  was  not  made  to  suffer  perse- 
cution in  any  proper  sense  of  the  term.  Attendance  at 
church  was  still  required  by  law  as  a  condition  of  undis- 
turbed residence ;  but  one  of  the  pastors  at  Heidelberg 
actually  ofTered  Beissel  the  required  certificate  of  attend- 
ance if  he  would  agree  to  walk  through  a  church  building 
once  a  year  on  a  week-day.  He  refused  to  make  even 
this  concession,  and  was  finally  compelled  to  leave  his 
native  land.  In  1720  he  sailed  to  America  and  for  some 
time  consorted  with  the  Dunkers,  with  some  of  whom  he 
had  been  acquainted  in  Germany.  After  a  year  spent  in 
Germantown,  Pa.,  he  remoA'ed,  in  company  with  a  friend, 
to  Lancaster  County,  where  they  built  a  hut  and  lived  in 
voluntary  poverty  and  privation.  He  began  to  preach 
and  soon  gathered  a  company  of  adherents.  In  1 724  a 
little  company  of  Dunkers,  led  by  Peter  Becker,  came 
from  Germantown  to  Lancaster  County  on  a  missionary 
expedition,  and  Beissel's  congregation  desired  to  fraternize 
with  them.  At  first,  we  are  told,  Beissel  was  in  doubt 
whether  he  ought  to  be  baptized  by  a  man  so  greatly  in- 
ferior to  himself,  but  he  finally  decided  to  alknv  Becker 
to  become  "  his  John  the  Baptist."-    Ahnost  immediately 

1  Printed  at   Ephrata,  1786.      An   Ent^lisli   translation   was   published   by 
S.  H.  Zahm  &  Co.,  Lancaster,  Ta.,  i.SSg. 

2  "  Chronicon  Ephratense,"  English  ed.,  p.  25. 


MONKS   OF  EPHKATA.  26 1 

after  the  baptism  it  was  discovered  that  there  were  doc- 
trinal differences  which  ought  to  have  been  previously  dis- 
cussed. Beissel  advanced  his  peculiar  theories  concerning 
the  glories  of  celibacy,  and  this  led  to  immediate  dissension. 
It  has,  indeed,  been  said  that  the  Ephrata  Brethren  were 
connected  with  the  Dunkers  for  a  single  day  only ;  but 
this  statement  is  not  strictly  correct.  It  was  not  until 
I  728,  when  Beissel  published  a  book  in  which  he  advo- 
cated the  observance  of  the  Old  Testament  Sabbath,  that 
the  schism  became  complete. 

Beissel  was  not  an  orator  in  the  usual  sense  of  the  word. 
He  spoke  with  great  rapidity  and  his  style  was  involved 
and  mystical.  At  first  his  preaching  was  not  generally 
acceptable  ;  for  "  he  began  his  discourse  with  closed  eyes, 
and  when  he  finally  opened  them  most  of  his  hearers  had 
disappeared."  There  were,  however,  some  persons  whom 
he  strangely  attracted,  and  who  were  willing  to  follow  him 
wherever  he  went.  Seidensticker  calls  him  "  another  Pied 
Piper  of  Hamelin,"  who  had  but  to  tune  his  pipes  to  be 
followed  by  a  multitude,  not  of  children  only,  but  of  men 
and  women  as  well.  Like  the  early  monastic  leaders,  he 
gathered  around  him  a  company  of  devout  disciples,  who 
at  first  proposed  to  live  the  life  of  anchorets.  In  1732 
they  adopted  a  conventual  rule,  in  close  imitation  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  order  of  Capuchins,  and  began  the  erec- 
tion of  monastic  buildings. 

The  "  Chronicon  Ephratense "  relates  at  length  how 
greatly  Beissel  was  interested  when  he  heard  that  two 
young  Reformed  ministers — Miller  and  Rieger — had  ar- 
rived in  America.  "  He  thought  his  work  would  be  bet- 
ter carried  out  if  God  had  provided  one  of  these  young 
preachers  for  him,  for  which  also  he  often  bowed  his.knees 
before  God."  At  first  he  tried  to  win  Rieger,  but  his 
hopes  were  disappointed  when  he  heard  that  he  had  taken 


262  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  hi. 

a  wife.  "  O  Lord,"  he  exclaimed,  "  thou  sufferest  them 
to  spoil  in  my  very  hands!"  Then  he  directed  his  atten- 
tion to  the  young  pastor  of  Tulpehocken.  In  company 
with  several  of  his  disciples  he  visited  Miller,  and  "  was 
received  by  the  teacher  and  elders  with  the  consideration 
due  to  an  ambassador  of  God."  The  result  of  this  visit 
was  that  the  pastor,  the  elders,  and  several  members  of 
the  church  at  Tulpehocken  became  followers  of  Beissel 
and  removed  to  Ephrata.  Conrad  Weiser,  a  Lutheran 
elder,  and  the  most  prominent  man  in  all  that  region,  also 
connected  himself  with  the  brotherhood,  but  subsequently 
withdrew.  Miller,  however,  remained  a  willing  instrument 
of  Beissel,  and  after  the  death  of  the  latter  became  the 
head  of  the  order. 

For  more  than  sixty  years  Miller  observed  the  strict 
rule  of  the  Order  of  the  Solitary.  He  was  dressed  in  a 
gown  of  rough  material,  and  at  night  he  slept  on  a  bench, 
with  no  pillow  but  a  wooden  billet.  He  was  known  by 
his  monastic  name  as  "  Brother  Jaebez,"  though  he  some- 
times called  himself  "  Peter  the  Hermit."  He  performed 
much  literary  labor,  and  was  at  the  head  of  the  extensive 
publishing  operations  of  the  society.  Many  hymns  in  the 
Ephrata  collections  were  written  by  him,  and  he  translated 
from  Dutch  into  German  a  large  part  of  the  "  Baptist 
Martyr-book,"  which  was  by  far  the  largest  publication 
issued  in  America  during  the  colonial  period.' 

After  he  assumed  the  monastic  hfe.  Miller  was  entirely 
separated  from  the  Reformed  Church;  but  he  was  no  con- 
troversialist. His  piety  was  of  a  medieval  type,  though 
he  had  no  fondness  for  the  ceremonial  of  Rome.  It  is  re- 
lated that  during  the  Revolution  he  appealed  successfully 
in  behalf  of  his  bitterest  enemy,  Michael  Widman,  a  Tory, 
who  had  been  condemned  to  death. 

1  "  Der  blutige  Schauplatz,  oder  Martyrer-Spiegel,"  Ephrata,  1748. 


MYSTICISM.  263 

The  Order  of  the  Solitary  disbanded  soon  after  Miller's 
death,  which  occurred  in  1796.  In  18 14  the  property  of 
the  order  was  legally  transferred  to  the  Society  of  Seventh- 
day  Baptists,  of  Ephrata,  which  now  numbers  less  than 
fifty  members. 

The  defection  of  John  Peter  Miller  was  a  severe  blow 
to  the  Reformed  Church  of  this  country  in  its  formative 
period.  To  explain  the  motives  which  led  him  to  this 
step  would  now  be  impossible;  but  it  is  probable  that 
even  before  he  came  to  America  he  had  been  influenced 
by  the  mysticism  of  which  Beissel  was  a  representative. 
It  was  no  doubt  easier  to  be  a  monk  than  to  labor  as  a 
pioneer;  but  it  is  no  less  certain  that  he  might  have  done 
more  good  by  preaching  the  gospel  than  by  continuing  in 
the  ascetic  observances  of  the  cloister. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

CONGREGATIONAL    ORGANIZATION. 

The  earliest  German  Reformed  congregations  in  this 
country  were  organized  in  strict  accordance  with  the  pat- 
tern presented  by  tlie  churches  of  the  Palatinate  and  Lower 
Rhine.  As  early  as  1563  the  Elector  Frederick  III.  had 
decreed  that  the  churches  of  the  Palatinate  should  elect 
elders  and  deacons,  as  was  already  usual  in  the  church  of 
France. 

"The  functions  of  the  eldership,"  says  Goebel,  "were 
regarded  as  equal  to  those  of  the  ministry  in  all  things 
except  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  administration 
of  the  sacraments."  Deacons  were  directed  to  provide  for 
the  wants  of  the  poor;  and  during  the  sixteenth  century 
their  efforts  in  this  direction  were  so  successful  that  in  the 
Rhine  country  pauperism  entirely  disappeared.^ 

The  pastor,  elders,  and  deacons  in  each  congregation 
constituted  a  body  which  was  officially  termed  Cousisto- 
riinn  (Consistory)  or  Presbyteriuvi  (Presbytery),  but  was 
popularly  called  KirchenratJi  (church  council).  Ordinarily 
one  half  of  the  Consistory  was  annually  retired  from  active 
service ;  but  the  eldership  was  nevertheless  regarded  as  a 
permanent  vocation,  and  the  men  who  had  once  been 
ordained  to  this  office  retained  its  functions,  though  they 
might  be  temporarily  relieved  from  labor. 

According  to  this  pattern,  which  was  familiar  to  the 

1  "  Gcsch.  des  clir.  Lebens,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  76. 
264 


NAME   OF   THE    CHURCH.  265 

Reformed  churches  everywhere,  the  earhest  Arnerican 
congregations  were  constituted ;  and  there  is  no  evidence 
that  any  other  form  of  government  was  even  suggested. 

It  was  only  when  it  became  necessary  to  employ  the 
English  language  in  official  documents  that  confusion  ap- 
peared. In  Europe,  as  we  have  seen,  many  of  the  stricter 
members  had  objected  to  the  use  of  a  capital  letter  in  the 
name  of  the  church,  preferring  that  it  should  be  called, 
when  a  title  was  unavoidable,  "  the  church  reformed  ac- 
cording to  God's  Word."  Something  of  this  ancient  spirit 
may  have  survived  in  this  country,  for  in  early  documents 
the  name  of  the  church  rarely  appears.  In  some  of  the 
oldest  charters  the  church  is  very  properly  called  Evangel- 
ical Reformed — to  distinguish  it  from  Evangelical  Lutheran 
— and  some  prominent  congregations  still  retain  the  word 
"  Evangelical  "  in  their  official  title.  In  other  instances, 
and  especially  in  the  correspondence  of  the  period,  the 
church  is  more  briefly  termed  "  Reformed,"  either  with  a 
capital  letter  or  without  it.  It  was  not  until  a  later  date 
that  the  term  "  German  Reformed  "  came  into  use. 

It  is  possible  that  the  clerks  in  public  offices  may  have 
regarded  the  name  Reformed  as  too  general  to  be  suffi- 
ciently distinctive  ;  but  in  their  records  they  certainly  taxed 
their  inventive  powers  to  the  utmost  to  find  another  name 
for  the  Germans  of  this  confession.  They  called  them 
German  Presbyterians,  Dutch  Calvinists,  and  other  names, 
which  added  to  the  prevailing  confusion.  We  have  even 
seen  a  document  in  which  certain  property  was  granted 
for  "  the  united  use  of  the  High  and  Low  "  churches,  which, 
of  course,  means  "  Lutheran  and  Reformed."  In  a  similar 
way  elders  were  called  ancients,  censors,  wardens,  or  any- 
thing else  that  suggested  itself  to  the  mind  of  the  imper- 
fectly informed  official  who  attempted  the  work  of  trans- 
lation. 


266  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  iv. 

Though  there  were  local  differences  in  doctrine  and 
cultus,  they  did  not  materially  interfere  with  the  work  of 
organization.  It  has,  indeed,  always  been  the  chief  glory 
of  the  Reformed  Church  that  it  does  not  exalt  certain 
doctrines  at  the  expense  of  the  rest,  but  seeks  to  hold  the 
truth  in  due  and  harmonious  proportion.  The  consensus 
of  the  Reformed  confessions  was  freely  accepted,  and  those 
churches  which  received  aid  from  Holland  formally  recog- 
nized the  distinctive  confessions  of  that  country  ;  but  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  from  the  beginning  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism  was  the  acknowledged  bond  of  union,^  and  that 
no  more  definite  statement  of  doctrine  was  deemed  neces- 
sary than  that  which  it  contained. 

Congregational  constitutions  dating  from  the  earliest 
American  period  are  exceedingly  rare.  Occasionally  a 
printed  broadside  may  be  found,  containing  a  few  local 
regulations ;  but  the  general  organization  was  apparently 
taken  for  granted.  It  is  fortunate,  however,  that  a  few 
copies  of  the  KircJicnordnung,  or  church  constitution,  pre- 
pared for  his  congregations  by  John  Philip  Boehm,  in  1 725, 
have  been  preserved,  as  this  was  undoubtedly  the  earliest 
form  of  discipline  adopted  by  German  Reformed  congre- 
gations in  America.  It  was  subsequently  revised  and 
published  by  the  Coetus  of  Pennsylvania."  In  order  that 
our  readers  may  form  a  correct  idea  of  its  general  char- 
acter we  reproduce  from  the  "  Mercersburg  Review " 
(October,  1876)  the  following  extracts  from  the  original 
"  ordinances,"  or  covenant,  adopted  by  the  churches  at 
Falckner's  Swamp,  Skippack,  and  White  Marsh,  in  1725, 
and  approved  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam : 

1  This  fact  is  explicitly  stated  by  J.  B.  Rieger  in  a  contribution  to  Saur's 
paper,  published  in  1749. 

2  "  Der  Reforniirten  Kirchen  in  Pennsylvanien  Kirchenordnung,"  etc., 
Philadelphia,  Gotthard  Armbriester,  1748.  (For  full  title  see  Hildeburn, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  480.) 


BOEHAPS   CONSTITUTION.  267 

"  [It  is  agreed]  that  all  the  members  of  Consistory  now 
in  service  in  all  the  three  villages  shall  be  recognized  and 
remain  in  their  offices  for  their  appointed  term.  Then  all 
the  members  of  the  congregation  shall,  with  the  Minister 
and  the  rest  of  the  consistory,  choose  new  members  of 
consistory.  But  at  the  same  time  all  the  members  of  the 
congregation  shall  transfer,  each  to  his  own  consistory,  all 
power  and  right  henceforth  to  choose  the  consistory  from 
year  to  year  by  a  majority  vote ;  since,  through  the  in- 
crease and  spreading  abroad  of  the  congregations,  it  is 
not  practicable  for  all  the  members  to  meet  just  for  this 
purpose. 

"The  persons  chosen  shall  be  propounded  for  three 
Sundays  each  in  his  congregation,  to  see  if  any  one  makes 
any  lawful  objection ;  and,  if  not,  they  shall  be  ordained 
at  the  third  announcement. 

"  If  it  should  happen  (as  we  hope  it  will  not)  that  one 
or  more  of  the  consistorial  persons  should  walk  disorderly, 
or  create  strife  and  division  in  the  congregations,  he  or 
they  shall  be  timely  warned  by  the  rest  to  give  over  such 
courses;  and  if  they  will  not  comply,  they  shall  be  put  out 
of  their  offices ;  and  others  shall  be  chosen  in  their  place 
out  of  such  as  have  last  been  in  service,  and  be  regularly 
ordained,  and  then  serve.  And  so  in  case  any  one  dies  in 
office. 

"  When  any  Elder  or  Deacon  goes  out  of  office  he  shall 
be  exempt  for  two  years  and  then  may  again  be  chosen ; 
or  even  earlier,  if  it  is  deemed  necessary  by  the  consistory 
for  the  time  being. 

"The  Minister,  Elders,  and  Deacons,  and  the  whole 
congregation  shall  determine  the  time  when,  on  the  Lord's 
Day  and  other  days,  and  the  places  where,  divine  service 
shall  be  held. 

"  The  rite  of  Baptism  shall  always  be  administered,  with- 


268  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.        [Chap.  iv. 

out  a  fee,  at  the  close  of  worship.  Besides  the  Elders,  there 
shall  be  witnesses  at  the  baptisrii ;  and  this  edifying  cus- 
tom shall  not  be  lightly  altered.  The  witnesses  must  be 
sound  in  doctrine  and  blameless  in  life.^ 

"  The  Holy  Supper  shall  be  administered  twice  a  year 
in  each  place  where  public  worship  is  maintained.  No 
one  shall  be  admitted  unless  upon  confession  before  the 
consistory  and  evidence  of  an  upright  life,  or  upon  proper 
testimonials  from  other  Reformed  congregations,  accord- 
ing to  the  Church  Order  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  anno  i6i8 
and  1619.  All  the  members  shall  constantly,  as  they  are 
able,  attend  worship  and  appear  at  the  preparatory  sermon  ; 
and  those  who  neglect  this  shall  be  spoken  to  by  the  con- 
sistory as  they  shall  judge  necessary.  The  old  shall  dili- 
gently instruct  the  young  in  the  Reformed  religion,  and 
thereunto  shall  carefully  provide  for  their  hearing  God's 
Word  in  preaching  and  in  catechizing;  so  that  the  young 
may  also  come  to  the  Lord's  table.  All  the  members  of 
the  three  congregations  shall  have  the  right  to  commune 
in  any  one  of  them,  no  lawful  hindrance  existing,  so  long 
as  they  have  the  same  minister. 

"  The  bread  and  wine  for  the  Lord's  Supper  shall  always 
be  provided  by  the  Deacons,  who  shall  also  collect  and 
disburse  the  alms,  and  make  faithful  account  of  the  same. 
The  members  of  the  consistory,  whether  Elders  or  Dea- 
cons, to  whom  the  church  chest  and  property  are  intrusted, 

1  The  custom  of  having  witnesses  (sponsors)  at  baptism  was  common  until 
a  comparatively  recent  date,  but  has  now  become  unusual.  At  present,  even 
when  sponsors  are  admitted,  parents  are  required  personally  to  assume  the 
baptismal  vows  in  behalf  of  their  children.  In  early  days  there  were  some- 
times as  many  as  five  sponsors  at  a  single  baptism,  and  their  names  were 
duly  entered  on  the  records  of  the  churcJi.  At  a  later  date  the  number  was 
limited  by  custom  to  a  single  pair.  Conscientious  sponsors  were  careful  to 
see  to  it  that  those  for  whom  tliey  had  liecome  sureties  were  faithfully  in- 
structed and  prepared  for  confirmation  and  the  holy  communion ;  and  in- 
stances were  not  rare  when  children,  on  the  death  of  their  parents,  were 
adopted  by  their  godparents. 


BOEHM'S   CONSTITUTION.  269 

shall  annually  make  account  of  their  administration  before 
the  congregation,  and  for  this  purpose  shall  keep  a  true 
record  of  receipts  and  expenditures.  And  the  account, 
when  approved,  shall  be  signed  by  the  minister  in  the 
name  of  all  as  satisfactory. 

"  In  order  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  church,  the 
Deacons  shall  always  collect  the  alms  at  the  end  of  service. 

"  If  any  member,  male  or  female,  fall  into  lewdness,  such 
shall  be  under  censure  of  the  consistory  until  they  promise 
.and  give  evidence  of  amendment. 

"  The  ofifice  and  duty  of  the  Minister  shall  be  to  preach 
the  pure  doctrine  of  the  Reformed  Church  according  to 
God's  Word,  and  to  administer  the  Seals  of  the  Covenant 
at  the  proper  time  and  place,  to  adhere  strictl)^  to  the 
Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Reformed  Church,  to  explain 
in  order  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  and  to  catechise,  and 
with  the  Elders  to  exercise  discipline.  He  shall  not,  with- 
out necessity,  omit  to  hold  service  at  the  prescribed  time 
and  place  at  Falckner's  Swamp,  Skippack,  and  White 
Marsh. 

"  A  consistory  shall  be  held  at  least  every  half-year, 
and  the  Minister  shall  record  all  ecclesiastical  proceedings 
in  a  book. 

"  And  if  he  should  be  inclined  to  go  away,  whether  be- 
cause called  elsewhere  or  for  other  lawful  reasons,  he  shall 
as  soon  as  practicable  give  the  congregations  notice,  so 
that  they  may  not  be  left  in  distress,  but  may  seasonably 
provide  another  suitable  mafi.  The  Minister,  also,  shall 
in  all  other  things  bear  himself  as  becomes  a  true  servant 
of  Christ,  under  Him  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep. 

"  The  Minister,  Elders,  and  Deacons  shall  maintain  a 
careful  oversight  of  the  congregation,  and  shall  appear  at 
the  appointed  time  and  place  to  hold  consistory,  nor  omit 
the  same  without  ample  cause.      They  shall,  to  the  best  of 


270  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  iv. 

their  ability,  faithfully  execute  the  foregoing  orders,  each 
according  to  his  office.  Whoever  knows  of  any  offense 
committed  by  one  of  the  consistory,  or  by  any  other 
member,  shall  feel  bound  in  conscience  to  make  it  known, 
not  through  malice  or  hatred,  but  to  remove  scandal.  The 
accused  person  shall  not  demand  the  name  of  his  accuser, 
nor  obstinately  deny  his  proved  faults,  nor  wickedly  con- 
tinue therein  ;  such  as  do  so  shall  be  disowned  as  members 
of  the  congregation  till  they  promise  and  show  amendment 
of  life. 

"  And  if  any  one  allege  anything  against  the  doctrine 
or  life  of  the  minister,  or  of  any  member  of  consistory,  or 
of  any  other  member,  they  shall  abstain  from  everything 
injurious  or  slanderous,  and  not  avenge  themselves,  but 
refer  the  matter  to  the  consistory,  who  shall  be  bound  to 
use  all  diligence  to  remove  such  scandal." 

We  have  no  room  for  several  additional  articles,  which 
refer  to  local  conditions;  but  the  above  present  a  satisfac- 
tory view  of  our  earliest  congregational  constitution.  That 
it  is  lacking  in  logical  order  will  be  readily  acknowledged, 
but  it  will  even  now  be  recognized  as  thoroughly  Reformed. 

The  constitution  of  the  church  at  Amwell,  Hunterdon 
County,  N.  J.,  was  adopted  in  1749.  It  may  be  quoted 
as  an  example  of  a  constitution  that  attempted  minutely 
to  regulate  the  daily  conduct  of  the  members,  and  in  this 
respect  it  reveals  the  presence  of  pietistic  influences.  In 
its  general  principles  it  is,  however,  in  full  accord  with  the 
historic  theory  of  Reformed  church  government;  and  it 
may,  indeed,  be  remarked  that  in  this  country  the  form 
of  congregational  organization  which  was  accepted  in  the 
beginning  has  substantially  remained  unchanged. 


CHAPTER   V. 

THE    "  CONGREGATION    OF    GOD    IN   THE    SPIRIT." 

The  religious  condition  of  the  Germans  of  Pennsylvania 
in  the  earlier  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  was  certainly 
deplorable.  This  condition,  we  venture  to  say,  was  caused 
less  by  poverty  than  by  diversity  of  opinion.  The  coun- 
try was  described  by  a  contemporary  writer  as  "  a  wilder- 
ness of  sects."  The  number  of  divisions  was,  indeed,  far 
greater  than  it  is  at  present ;  for  besides  larger  bodies 
there  were  here  and  there  little  companies  of  mystics — 
Labadists,  Inspirationists,  New-born,  Ronsdorfers,  or  Elle- 
rians — who  made  themselves  prominent  to  a  degree  that 
was  hardly  warranted  by  their  numerical  importance.  As 
a  natural  consequence  there  were  many  places  where  the 
number  of  sects  rendered  concerted  action  impossible,  and 
the  people  remained  destitute  of  religious  instruction. 

As  early  as  1736  John  Adam  Gruber,  of  Oley,  issued 
an  address  calling  for  some  sort  of  union ;  but  Gruber  was 
himself  an  "  Inspirationist,"  and  the  people  were  not  dis- 
posed to  accept  him  as  a  religious  leader.  The  idea  was 
then  taken  up  by  Henry  Antes,  "  the  pious  Reformed 
man  of  Frederick  Township,"  and  under  his  leadership  it 
promised  for  a  while  important  results  in  the  cause  of 
Christian  union. 

Henry  Antes  was  a  remarkable  man.  Born  about  1701, 
it  is  believed,  at  Freinsheim,  Rhenish  Bavaria,  he  came  to 
America  in  early  manhood  in  company  with  his  parents. 

271 


2  72  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap,  v. 

He  was  a  miller  and  millwright,  but  soon  became  an  active 
man  of  business.  Whenever  his  countrymen  needed  an 
adviser  in  civil  affairs  they  came  to  him,  and  his  services 
were  constantly  required  for  the  drawing  of  wills  and  the 
settlement  of  estates.  /'  In  appearance  and  dfess,"  says 
one  of  his  descendants,  "  he  was  an  enormous  Dutch  farmer, 
but  in  language  arid  manner  a  courtier  of  the  ancicn 
regime. 

When  Boehm  entered  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
Antes  was  his  chief  adviser  and  most  intimate  friend.  At 
a  later  period  we  find  these  men  opposed  to  each  other  on 
questions  of  church  polity  ;  but  in  the  sharp  controversies 
which  ensued  it  does  not  appear  that  they  failed  in  court- 
esy to  each  other.  Both  were  equally  sincere,  but  it  must 
soon  have  become  evident  that  they  severally  represented 
different  types  of  religious  life. 

In  1736  we  find  Antes  ministering  to  the  Reformed 
people  of  Oley.  It  does  not  appear  that  he  preached  to 
them,  but  he  went  from  house  to  house  and  performed  the 
work  of  an  evangelist.  In  the  same  year  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  the  celebrated  Moravian  missionary,  Bishop 
Spangenberg,  who  for  a  time  made  his  home  at  the  house 
of  Christopher  Wiegner,  in  Skippack.  At  that  Schwenk- 
felder  homestead  Antes  frequently  met  a  company  of  godly 
men  representing  different  forms  of  faith,  and  here  he  seems 
to  have  taken  up  the  idea  of  establishing  a  federative  union 
of  the  German  churches.  A  few  years  later  he  said:  "  I 
am  Reformed ;  I  am  also  Lutheran  ;  I  am  also  a  Mennon- 
ite — a  Christian  is  everything."  1  There  is,  however,  no 
doubt  that  he  had  become  thoroughly  devoted  to  the 
Moravian  brotherhood. 

When  the  Rev.  George  Whitefield,  the  greatest  revival 
preacher  of  modern  times,  visited  Pennsylvania,  in  1740, 
1  Dotterer's  "  Jolin  Philip  Boehm,"  p.  18. 


ZINZEND  ORF.  273 

he  was  entertained  at  the  house  of  Henry  Antes,  and 
preached  there  to  a  great  multitude  of  people.  The 
Moravian  bishop,  Petrus  Boehler,  preached  in  German  on 
the  same  occasion. 

Count  Zinzendorf  arrived  in  America,  and  Antes  was 
one  of  the  first  to  welcome  him.  The  count,  it  is  said, 
did  not  at  first  approve  of  the  plan  for  the  union  of  the 
churches ;  but  having  somewhat  reluctantly  given  his  con- 
sent, he  soon  became  the  leading  spirit  of  the  movement. 
In  December,  1741,  Antes  issued  a  call  for  a  meeting  to 
be  held  in  Germantown,  January  i,  1742,  and  this  meeting 
was  followed  by  six  others.  The  plan  of  union  elaborated 
at  these  conventions  was  called  the  "  Congregation  of  God 
in  the  Spirit."  It  was  founded  in  strict  accordance  with 
Zinzendorf's  theory  of  tropes,  according  to  which  every 
one  might  retain  his  denominational  peculiarities,  while  he 
stood  at  the  same  time  in  a  higher  religious  unity.  The 
plan  was  promising,  'and  it  was  welcomed  by  many  excel- 
lent men.  Zinzendorf  and  his  coadjutors  proceeded  to  or- 
dain ministers  for  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches ; 
but  these  ministers  were  expected  to  stand  at  'the  same 
time  in  the  Unity  of  the  Brethren.  As  far  as  the  Re- 
formed Church  was  concerned,  Zinzendorf  claimed  the 
right  of  conferring  the  rite  of  ordination,  by  virtue  of  au- 
thority granted  him  by  the  Reformed  antistes  (or  bishop) 
Jablonsk)^,  of  Berlin,  who  was  also  a  bishop  of  the  ancient 
Moravian  community. 

John  Bechtel,  pastor  of  the  Reformed  church  in  Ger- 
mantown, was  Zinzendorf's  chief  assistant  in  this  work,  so 
far  as  the  Reformed  Church  was  concerned.  It  was  in  his 
church  that  Zinzendorf  preached  his  first  sermon  after  his 
arrival  in  America;  and  in  his  house,  in  1742,  the  earliest 
Moravian  school  in  this  country  was  opened.'     Bechtel  was 

1  Wickersliam's  "  History  of  Education,"  p.  152. 


274  ^'-^-^  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  v. 

a  self-educated  man,  though  not  without  decided  talent. 
Originally  a  turner  by  trade,  he  had  been  induced  by  the 
necessities  of  the  times  to  assume  the  oflfice  of  the  ministry, 
and  had  for  fifteen  years  frequently  preached  for  the  Re- 
formed congregation  of  Germantown.  That  he  did  not 
approve  of  Boehm's  course  in  securing  ordination  from 
the  church  of  Holland  is  sufficiently  plain ;  and  in  April, 
1742,  he  was  ordained  in  his  own  church  by  Zinzendorf 
and  Nitschmann.^  In  the  same  year  Bechtel  published  a 
catechism  which  claimed  to  be  in  accordance  with  the 
decrees  of  the  Synod  of  Berne  (153  i),  and  by  implication 
a  protest  against  the  acceptance  of  the  confessions  of  the 
church  of  Holland.  This  catechism  appeared  in  German 
and  English,  and  in  1 743  was  translated  into  Swedish. 
An  edition  was  also  published  in  Germany.-  Immedi- 
ately afterward  Boehm  published  his  "  Getreuer  Warnungs- 
brief,"  which  was  directed  against  the  Moravians  and  natu- 
rally led  to  a  "  war  of  pamphlets." 

In  Philadelphia  the  Reformed  and  Lutherans  occupied 
the  same  church  building  on  alternate  Sundays.  Boehm 
was  the  Reformed  pastor,  but  the  Lutheran  congregation 
was  vacant.  A  part  of  the  Lutheran  congregation  desired 
to  secure  the  pastoral  services  of  Zinzendorf;  but  before 
accepting  their  invitation  the  count  addressed  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Boehm,  inquiring  whether  he  had  "  a  right  to  present 
aught  against  his  preaching  there."  In  the  same  letter  he 
went  a  little  out  of  his  way  to  remark :  "  I  am  not  inclined 
to  the  doctrine  of  an  absolute  reprobation,  as  a  doctrine 
which  in  my  religion  is  confessedly  held  as  fundamentally 

1  Fresenius,  1748,  p.  183. 

■•2  The  following  is  the  title  of  the  English  edition:  "  A  Short  Catechism 
for  some  Congregations  of  Jesus  of  the  Reformed  Religion  in  Pennsylvania, 
who  keep  to  the  ancient  Synod  of  Bern  ;  Agreeable  to  the  Doctrines  of  the 
Moravian  Church.  F'irst  published  in  German  by  John  Bechtel,  Minister  of 
the  Word  of  God;   Philadelphia,  1742." 


ANTES  AND  BECHTEL.  275 

and  wholly  erroneous."  In  his  reply,  which  is  rather  cold 
and  formal,  Boehm  declares  that  "  the  Reformed  have 
nothing  to  enjoin  on  the  Lutherans  for  their  own  time"; 
but  that  he  desires  to  be  "  understood  as  protesting,  if  any 
one  should  say  that  permission  was  given  from  the  Re- 
formed side,  or  from  me,  to  Count  Zinzendorf  to  preach 
at  the  time  and  place  belonging  to  us,  the  Reformed." 
There  was  subsequently  some  friction  between  Boehm  and 
Zinzendorf,  but  the  Reformed  congregation  of  Philadelphia 
appears  to  have  held  compactly  together.  Among  the 
Lutherans  there  was  a  conflict  which  finally  resulted  in 
the  withdrawal  of  the  friends  of  Zinzendorf.  On  the  31st 
of  December,  1742,  Zinzendorf  delivered  his  farewell  ser- 
mon in  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  9th  of  January,  1743, 
sailed  from  New  York  for  Europe. 

The  "Congregation  of  God  in  the  Spirit"  seems  soon 
to  have  become  discouraged.  As  the  movement  became 
more  and  more  Moravian  many  Reformed  congregations 
refused  to  be  served  by  ministers  who  stood  in  the  "  Unity." 
Some  of  these  ministers  fully  identified  themselves  with 
the  Moravians,  while  others  appear  to  have  tried  to  hold 
a  double  relation,  and  thus  became  practically  independ- 
ent. Antes  was  utterly  discouraged  by  the  failure  of  his 
well-meant  plan.  He  removed  to  Bethlehem,  but  finally 
returned  to  his  farm  in  Frederick  Township,  Montgomery 
County,  where  he  died  in  1755.  Bechtel  was  dismissed 
by  his  congregation  in  1 744.  "  When  I  heard  the  decis- 
ion," he  says,  in  his  autobiography,  "  it  was  a  true  com- 
fort to  me ;  and  from  that  time  forth  I  felt  assured  in  my 
heart  that  I  belonged  to  the  Brethren  Church."  He  re- 
moved to  Bethlehem  and  was  for  many  years  prominent 
in  the  Unitas  Fratrnni.  Christian  Henry  Rauch  became 
an  eminent  Moravian  missionary,  and  John  Brandmiller 
was  subsequently  a  printer  at  Bethlehem. 


276  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  v. 

Jacob  Lischy  was  ordained  as  a  minister  of  the  Re- 
formed tropos,  but  held  a  position  which  was  certainly- 
unique.  He  was  a  brilliant  preacher  and  an  author  of 
some  repute.  Sometimes  he  seemed  entirely  devoted  to 
the  Moravians,  and  then  he  would  suddenly  wheel  around 
and  attack  them  in  print.  Wherever  he  went  he  was  wel- 
comed by  enthusiastic  congregations,  but  also  met  with 
decided  opposition.  In  i  743  a  large  meeting  of  his  friends 
was  held  in  Heidelberg  Township  to  make  arrangements 
for  his  defense  against  the  calumnies  of  his  enemies.  A 
broadside  published  by  this  meeting  is  in  possession  of  the 
author.  It  is  not  only  signed  by  the  representatives  of 
nine  congregations  of  which  Lischy  was  then  pastor,  but 
also  gives  the  names  of  thirteen  prominent  men  who  were 
thereafter  to  investigate  any  reports  which  might  be  cir- 
culated against  him.  A  year  later  we  find  him  in  York 
County,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  years.  He  was 
deposed  from  the  ministry,  about  1 760,  for  moral  delin- 
quency. 

Like  most  of  his  contemporaries,  Lischy  could  write 
"  doggerel  "  with  the  utmost  fluency,  and  Harbaugh  gives 
in  the  original  a  so-called  hymn  which  he  wrote  in  1745 
"  for  the  Consistory  of  the  church  at  Mode  Creek."  It  is, 
in  fact,  no  hymn  at  all,  and  was  never  intended  to  be  sung, 
but  is  interesting  as  reproducing  the  peculiar  spirit  of  the 
movement  in  which  its  author  was  prominently  engaged. 
We  cannot  resist  the  temptation  to  translate  a  few  stanzas, 
as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  rude,  unpolished  style  of  the 
original : 

JACOB    LISCHY'S    hymn. 

What  would  God's  servant  Zwinglius, 
And  eke  the  reverend  Calvinus, 
Say  to  their  people  if  they  could  come 
To  learn  the  evils  of  Christendom? 
Ah!  who  can  tell.-' 


LISCHY'S  HYMN.  277 

Methinks  they  would  weep  with  heartfelt  grief 
To  see  their  people  without  relief  ; 
For  the  world  is  full  of  sin  and  sorrow. 
That  even  Sodoma  and  Gomorrah 
Were  hardly  worse. 

"  Reformed  is  the  name  we  bear,"  'tis  said; 
That  means  corrected  and  rightly  led ; 
But  the  poor  souls  have  gone  astray, 
And  none  of  them  all  can  find  the  way : 
Kyrie  eleis  ! 

In  the  decrees  of  tlie  Synod  of  Berne 
'Tis  fairly  written,  that  all  may  learn, 
That  Christ  is  the  center  of  Christian  teaching, 
And  that  his  blest  passion  of  all  our  preaching 
Must  be  the  theme. 

Now  morals  alone  are  preached  to  men. 
Though  Jesus  is  mentioned  now  and  then ; 
In  Lenten  seasons,  when  preachers  choose, 
They  growl  a  little  against  the  Jews, 
How  bad  they  were. 

But  we,  by  wisdom  divine  elected, 
And  as  his  people  by  grace  directed, 
The  passion  of  Jesus  exalting  higher, 
Will  join  for  aye  with  the  heavenly  choir. 
To  praise  the  Lamb. 

The  "  Congregation  of  God  in  the  Spirit,"  as  proposed 
by  Henry  Antes  and  elaborated  by  Count  Zinzendorf, 
was  so  grand  in  its  conception,  so  exalted  in  its  purposes, 
that  we  may  perhaps  regret  that  it  did  not  prove  more 
successful.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  churches  were 
not  ready  for  the  proposed  union,  and  under  the  most 
favorable  conditions  it  would  most  probably  have  re- 
sulted in  the  organization  of  another  Christian  denomina- 
tion. While,  therefore,  we  may  regret  the  failure  of  a  well- 
meant  plan,  we  appreciate  the  necessity  which  resulted  in 
the  consolidation  of  the  evangelical  churches  and  in  their 
further  development  along  their  ancient  historic  lines. 


CHAPTER   VL 

MICHAEL    SCHLATTER. 

The  arrival  of  Michael  Schlatter,  on  the  ist  of  August, 
1 746,  marks  an  important  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Ger- 
man Reformed  Church.  He  had  been  sent  to  America 
by  the  Synods  of  Holland,  with  directions  to  visit  the 
scattered  churches  and  as  soon  as  possible  to  establish  an 
ecclesiastical  organization.  This  work  he  accomplished  in 
the  face  of  extraordinary  difficulties,  and  therefore  deserves 
a  prominent  place  in  the  records  of  his  church. 

The  people '®f  Holland  had  shown  great  kindness  to 
the  German  emigrants  when  they  passed  through  their 
country  on  the  way  to  America.  They  still  remembered 
their  poverty  at  the  time  of  the  emigration,  and  could  well 
understand  their  subsequent  religious  destitution.  When, 
as  early  as  1728,  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  of  the  Palat- 
inate, appreciating  the  fact  that  in  their  own  impoverished 
condition  they  could  not  properly  provide  for  the  Amer- 
ican churches,  commended  these  churches  to  the  care  of 
the  Synods  of  Holland,  the  latter  responded  with  the  en- 
thusiasm which  had  characterized  their  missionary  labors 
in  other  distant  lands.  By  the  correspondence  of  Boehm 
and  the  visit  of  Weiss  and  Reiff  this  interest  was  increased, 
and  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  was  made  the  organ  and 
representative  of  the  national  Synods  in  this  department 
of  missionary  activity. 

At   first  the  Dutch  Synods  naturally  hesitated  about 

278 


THE  MISSION.  279 

undertaking  a  work  of  such  importance  in  a  country  which 
was  under  British  dominion.  In  1743  they  commissioned 
the  Rev.  Peter  Henry  Dorstius,  pastor  of  the  Dutch  church 
at  Neshaminy,  Pa.,  to  present  a  letter  to  the  Presbyterian 
Synod  of  Philadelphia,  inquiring  whether  it  would  not  be 
possible  to  consolidate  the  Presbyterian,  Reformed  Dutch, 
and  German  Reformed  Churches  in  America  into  a  single 
body.  In  their  reply  the  Presbyterians  tacitly  declined 
to  enter  into  such  a  union,  but  declared  their  willingness 
to  join  with  the  Reformed  "  to  assist  each  other  as  far  as 
possible  in  promoting  the  common  interests  of  religion."  ^ 
It  was  only  after  this  well-meant  movement  for  union  had 
failed  that  the  Dutch  Synods  formally  took  charge  of  the 
German  churches  in  America.  After  this  event  the  chief 
difficulty  was  to  fiiid  a  man  who  was  qualified  by  disposi- 
tion and  training  to  take  charge  of  the  work  of  missions 
in  America,  and  at  the  same  time  to  serve  as  a  personal 
bond  of  union  with  the  fatherland.  It  was,  therefore, 
fortunate  in  the  highest  degree  that  there  was  a  young 
man  at  hand  whose  qualifications  were  extraordinary,  and 
who  humbly  and  devoutly  offered  himself  for  this  impor- 
tant service. 

Michael  Schlatter  was  born  in  the  ancient  town  of  St. 
Gall,  in  Switzerland,  on  the  14th  of  July,  1716.  He  was 
of  an  eminent  family,  and  his  mother  was  a  descendant  of 
the  elder  Zollikofer.  Concerning  his  early  life  we  know 
little ;  but  he  was  carefully  educated,  under  the  special 
care  of  the  well-known  Professor  Wagelin.  Tradition  rep- 
resents him  as  less  fond  of  study  than  of  climbing  mount- 
ains ;  and  Harbaugh  relates  a  story  that  in  his  early  boy- 
hood he  went  without  permission  to  Holland,  to  visit  rela- 
tives who  were  settled  there.  This  story  does  not  seem 
probable,  for  when  fourteen  years  old  he  was  formally  rec- 

1  Briggs's  "  American  Presbyterianism,"  pp.  284-288. 


28o  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  vi. 

ognized  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry ;  and  it  is  hardly 
likely  that  in  those  days  the  authorities  would  have  ac- 
cepted a  candidate  who  had  just  been  guilty  of  such  an 
escapade.  That  he  attended  the  universities  is  known,  but 
the  particulars  cannot  be  accurately  determined.  Having 
finished  his  course,  he  went  to  Holland,  where  he  was  for 
some  years  engaged  in  teaching,  at  the  same  time  becom- 
ing familiar  with  the  language  of  that  country.  During 
this  period  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry.  Returning 
to  Switzerland,  he  was,  in  1745,  vicar  of  Wigoldingen,  in 
Thurgau,  and  afterward  for  a  short  time  "  Sunday  even- 
ing preacher  "  at  Lintebuehl,  a  suburb  of  St.  Gall.  These 
positions  were  merely  temporary,  and  early  in  1 746  he 
went  to  Holland  and  offered  his  services  for  the  proposed 
mission  to  America.  In  Holland  he  was  well  known,  and 
the  Synods  felt  no  hesitation  in  calling  him  to  the  work 
and  giving  him  their  unreserved  confidence. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1746,  Schlatter  set  sail  for  Boston. 
The  voyage,  which  lasted  exactl}^  two  months,  was  in  the 
main  prosperous,  though  in  his  "Journal"  he  refers  to  a 
narrow  escape  from  shipwreck  on  Sable  Island.  In  Bos- 
ton he  remained  but  three  days,  and  then,  having  sent  his 
luggage  by  water,  started  on  horseback  for  New  York. 
There  he  was  cordially  received  by  the  Dutch  pastors,  who 
were  greatly  interested  in  his  mission.  On  the  6tli  of 
September  he  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  welcomed 
by  the  elders  of  the  church. 

The  wonderful  energy  of  Schlatter  was  at  once  appar- 
ent. On  the  day  after  his  arrival  in  Philadelphia  he  rode 
sixteen  miles  to  Whitpain  to  visit  Boehm,  who  was  now 
an  aged  man.  Next  day  he  went  to  see  Jacob  Reiff  at 
Skippack,  and  made  arrangements  for  the  final  settlement 
of  his  account  with  the  church.  A  week  later  we  find  him 
at  Neshaminy,  where  he  received  from  Dorstius  a  promise 


CONFERENCES.  28 1 

of  earnest  cooperation.  Immediately  returning  to  Phila- 
delphia, he  preached  there  and  in  Germantown  on  the 
1 8th,  and  next  day  went  to  see  Weiss  at  Goshenhoppen. 
The  older  ministers  were  evidently  influenced  by  his  en- 
thusiasm, and  on  the  22d  Weiss  and  Schlatter  started  for 
Lancaster  by  way  of  Oley,  and  Boehm  went  directly  to 
Tulpehocken,  where  the  others  were  to  meet  him  after 
the  people  had  been  prepared  for  their  coming.  At  Lan- 
caster Schlatter  and  Weiss  consulted  with  Rieger  and  re- 
stored the  harmony  of  the  congregation,  which  had  been 
somewhat  disturbed ;  rode  twenty-nine  miles  to  Tulpe- 
hocken ;  preached  there,  and  induced  the  people  to  sub- 
scribe three  hundred  Dutch  guilders  for  the  support  of  a 
settled  pastor;  thence  back  to  Lancaster,  where  a  similar 
work  was  accomplished  ;  and  on  the  28th  Schlatter  returned 
to  Philadelphia  and  Weiss  "  returned  to  his  post  in  Old 
Goshenhoppen."^  This  is  but  an  outHne  of  the  work  ac- 
complished by  Schlatter  within  about  three  weeks  of  his 
arrival  in  Pennsylvania.  In  his  "Journal,"  reprinted  by 
Harbaugh,  particulars  are  more  fully  related,  but  what  we 
have  said  is  enough  to  show  that  when  he  had  a  work  to 
do  Schlatter  was  not  disposed  to  "  let  the  grass  grow 
under  his  feet." 

On  the  1 2th  of  October,  1746,  the  pastors  Boehm,  Weiss, 
and  Rieger  met,  at  Schlatter's  request,  in  Philadelphia, 
preliminary  to  the  establishment  of  a  general  ecclesiastical 
organization.  Dorstius  was  unable  to  be  present,  but  sent 
an  encouraging  letter.  There  were  several  other  Reformed 
preachers  in  Pennsylvania  at  that  time,  but  they  were  not 
regularly  ordained,  and  were,  therefore,  not  invited.  The 
meeting  was  harmonious,  and  it  was  agreed  to  hold  a 
CoetJis,  or  Synod,  during  the  following  year.  This  meet- 
ing was  actually  held,  in  Philadelphia,  on  the  29th  of  Sep- 

1  "  Life  of  Schlatter,"  p.  135. 


282  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  vi. 

tember,  1 747,  and  was  attended  by  thirty-one  ministers  and 
elders. 

The  circumstances  of  the  churches  in  Philadelphia  and 
Germantown  rendered  it  absolutely  necessary  that  Schlat- 
ter should  become  their  pastor,  and  he  was  regularly  in- 
stalled by  his  predecessor,  Boehm.  He  was  not  willing, 
however,  to  suffer  the  duties  of  a  regular  pastorate  to  in- 
terfere with  his  special  mission,  and  during  the  succeeding 
year  he  made  many  extensive  journeys,  and  for  extended 
periods  preached  almost  every  day.  From  northern  New 
Jersey  to  the  valley  of  Virginia  there  was  hardly  a  Re- 
formed congregation  which  he  did  not  visit,  except  some 
of  those  which  were  supplied  by  independent  ministers. 
The  roads,  it  must  be  remembered,  were  generally  rude 
bridle-paths,  and  bridges  were  almost  unknown.  Though 
he  does  not  dilate  on  these  matters,  he  tells  us  how  in 
April,  1747,  he  crossed  the  Susquehanna,  when  the  river 
was  unusually  high,  in  a  boat  rowed  by  twelve  stalwart 
men,  under  circumstances  which  rendered  the  crossing 
extremely  dangerous.  Wherever  he  went  he  organized 
the  churches  according  to  instructions  received  in  Europe, 
and  induced  the  people  to  pledge  themselves  to  pay  a 
certain  amount  in  support  of  a  pastor.  In  this  way  he 
succeeded  in  establishing  sixteen  charges,  each  consisting 
of  several  congregations.  In  the  succeeding  year  he  was 
greatly  encouraged  by  the  arrival  of  three  ministers,  Do- 
minicus  Bartholomneus,  John  Jacob  Hochreutiner,  and  John 
Philip  Leidich.  Bartholomaeus  settled  in  Tulpehocken, 
and  Leidich  became  the  successor  of  Boehm  at  Falckner's 
Swamp.  Hochreutiner  had  been  assigned  to  Lancaster, 
but  on  the  morning  when  he  intended  to  leave  Philadel- 
phia on  his  way  to  his  field  of  labor  he  was  accidentally 
killed  by  the  explosion  of  a  gun  which  he  had  brought 
from  the  fatherland,  and  which  he  was  trying  to  unload. 


SCHLATTER  AND  MUHLENBERG.  283 

In  his  pocket  was  found  the  manuscript  of  the  sermon 
which  he  had  proposed  to  preach  in  Lancaster  on  the  suc- 
ceeding Lord's  day.  Schlatter  pubHshed  this  sermon, 
accompanying  it  with  a  sympathetic  introduction,  under 
the  appropriate  title,  "  Schwanengesang."^  To  Schlatter 
this  event  was  the  source  of  profound  sorrow.  The  young 
man  was  the  son  of  the  rector  of  the  gymnasium  in 
Schlatter's  native  city  of  St.  Gall.  No  doubt  the  son  had 
been  in  a  certain  sense  confided  to  Schlatter's  care,  and  the 
event  was  therefore  doubly  distressing. 

During  the  whole  of  his  public  career  Schlatter  was  en- 
couraged by  the  cooperation  and  personal  friendship  of 
the  Rev.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  who  had  come  to  America  in  1742,  "on  nearly 
the  same  footing  and  for  the  same  object."-  Both  men 
stood  for  law  and  order,  and  were  compelled  to  contend 
with  very  similar  opposition.  It  was  therefore  but  natural 
that  they  should  be  closely  drawn  together;  and  in  pub- 
lished writings  each  refers  to  the  other  in  terms  of  sincere 
respect.  Indeed,  Schlatter  intimates  that  by  their  mutual 
cooperation  the  fellowship  of  the  churches  was  preserved 
"  sacred  and  inviolate,"  and  expresses  the  wish  that 
"  traces  of  such  harmony  might  also  be  found  in  Ger- 
many." 

While  Schlatter  was  absent  on  long  missionary  journeys 
trouble  was  brewing  in  his  church  in  Philadelphia.  There 
was  a  party  in  the  congregation  which  opposed  the  close 
alliance  with  the  church  of  Holland,  and  in  course  of  time 
it  became  evident  that  they  were  unwilling  to  submit  to 
the  established  discipline  of  the  church.     They  even  de- 

1  A  copy  is  in  the  Philadelphia  Library.  It  was  translated  and  pubHshed 
in  the  "  Reformed  Quarterly  Review  "  for  July,  1886,  under  its  original  title, 
"  The  Song  of  the  Swan." 

2  "  Journal,"  chap.  iii. ;  Harbaugh's  "  Life,"  p.  138. 


284  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  vi. 

clared  their  unwillingness  to  elect  a  pastor  for  more  than 
a  single  year.  In  i  749  the  Rev.  John  Conrad  Steiner,  of 
Winterthur,  Switzerland,  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  and  the 
party  of  opposition  at  once  seized  the  occasion  to  create 
disturbance.  Steiner  was  a  fine  preacher,  who,  in  Europe, 
had  gained  considerable  reputation  b}^  the  publication  of 
"  The  Midnight  Cry,"  a  series  of  sermons  on  the  second 
coming  of  the  Lord.  The  Germans  of  Philadelphia  were 
fascinated  by  his  eloquence,  and  he  was  irregularly  elected 
pastor  of  the  Reformed  church  instead  of  Schlatter.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  intense  conflicts,  which 
were  finally  decided  by  the  civil  authorities  in  favor  of 
Schlatter,  after  which  Steiner's  party  withdrew  and  formed 
a  separate  congregation.  Steiner  was  personally  unob- 
jectionable, but  all  authorities  agree  that  his  position  in 
opposition  to  Schlatter  is  not  to  be  justified.  After  a  year 
of  conflict  he  removed  from  Philadelphia,  and  after  suc- 
cessively serving  as  pastor  in  Germantown  and  Frederick, 
Md.,  was  in  1759  recalled  to  Philadelphia,  the  congrega- 
tions having  in  the  meantime  reunited.  After  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  i  762,  another  collection  of  his  sermons 
was  published. 

Schlatter  had  now  fulfilled  the  terms  of  his  commission, 
so  far  as  concerned  the  arrangement  of  pastoral  charges 
and  the  establishment  of  a  general  ecclesiastical  organiza- 
tion, but  the  chief  difficulties  to  successful  work  had  not 
been  removed.  The  poverty  of  the  churches  continued, 
and  most  of  the  charges  were  vacant.  The  death  of  John 
Philip  Boehm,  which  occurred  May  i,  1749,  was  also  a 
discouraging  event;  for,  though  aged,  he  earnestly  labored 
to  the  end  of  his  life,  especially  in  the  work  of  supplying 
vacant  congregations.  In  1751  the  Coetus  requested 
Schlatter  to  go  to  Europe  to  present  the  cause  of  the 
destitute  German  Reformed  churches  of  America.     This 


VISIT   TO  EUROPE.  285 

work  he  accomplished  with  remarkable  success.  The 
Synods  of  Holland  had  been  discouraged  by  what  they 
had  heard  of  the  troubles  in  Philadelphia,  but  his  personal 
presence  removed  all  doubt.  His  "  Journal,"  accompanied 
by  an  earnest  "  Appeal,"  was  published  in  Dutch  and 
German,  and  in  a  short  time  the  sum  of  ;^i 2,000  was 
collected  and  invested  for  the  benefit  of  the  churches  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  interest  of  this  sum  was  to  be  paid 
annually  for  the  support  of  the  American  churches  and 
pastors ;  but  as  a  condition  of  this  aid  the  Coetus  was  to 
be  in  all  things  subordinate  to  the  Classis  of  Amster- 
dam. Its  minutes,  translated  into  Dutch,  were  to  be  an- 
nually sent  to  Holland,  and  none  of  its  acts  were  final 
until  they  were  there  approved.  The  Coetus  was  not  per- 
mitted to  administer  the  rite  of  ordination,  and  no  new 
ministers  were  to  be  admitted  without  the  special  ap- 
proval of  the  church  in  Holland.  It  will  therefore  be 
seen  that,  while  the  generosity  of  the  church  was  remark- 
able, the  conditions  under  which  it  was  exercised  were 
sufficiently  strict. 

In  1752  Schlatter  returned  to  America,  bringing  with 
him  six  young  ministers — Otterbein,  Stoy,  Waldschmid, 
Frankenfeld,  Wissler,  and  Rubel.  Seven  hundred  Bibles 
were  sent  for  gratuitous  distribution,  and  a  few  of  these 
are  still  preserved  as  precious  relics. 

The  success  which  had  attended  the  labors  of  Schlatter 
in  Holland  and  Germany  suggested  an  extensive  educa- 
tional movement  in  behalf  of  the  Germans  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  Rev.  David  Thomson  translated  Schlatter's  "Appeal" 
into  English,  and  a  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  the  Knowl- 
edge of  God  among  the  Germans  was  organized  in  Eng- 
land. A  large  sum  of  money — said  to  have  amounted  to 
^20,000 — was  collected  for  the  establishment  of  charity 
schools  in  Pennsylvania.     These  schools  were  not  intended 


286  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  vi. 

for  a  single  denomination  of  Christians,  but  it  was  deter- 
mined that  schools  should  be  established  among  the  Ger- 
mans wherever  the  trustees  deemed  it  advisable  and  the 
people  manifested  a  willingness  to  contribute  a  part  of  the 
expense  of  maintaining  them. 

The  purpose  of  this  educational  movement  was  no  doubt 
originally  purely  philanthropic,  but  the  manner  in  which 
it  was  conducted  was,  to  say  the  least,  imprudent.  In 
order  to  attract  attention  to  the  scheme,  the  Germans 
were  represented  as  ignorant  beyond  comparison  ;  and  it 
was  even  suggested  that  unless  means  were  taken  for  their 
proper  training  they  would  soon  become  "  like  unto  wood- 
born  savages."  Not  a  word  was  said  about  the  congre- 
gational schools  which  the  Germans  had  themselves  estab- 
lished ;  nor  was  there  the  least  intimation  of  the  existence 
of  the  publishing  houses  which  they  had  founded  and  sus- 
tained. Archbishop  Hering  is  charged  with  having  given 
currency  to  a  suggestion  that  unless  the  Germans  of  Penn- 
sylvania were  speedily  Anglicized  they  might  unite  with 
the  French  and  drive  the  Englisli  from  the  continent  of 
America.  The  absurdity  of  the  imputation  did  not  prevent 
its  circulation,  and  the  Lutherans,  in  1754,  and  the  Re- 
formed, in  1756,  adopted  resolutions  expressing  their  in- 
dignation at  these  contemptible  insinuations. 

Schlatter  was  so  profoundly  interested  in  the  educa- 
tional advancement  of  the  Germans  that  he  allowed  him- 
self to  be  persuaded  to  become  superintendent  of  the 
charity  schools.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  did  his 
best  for  the  cause,  and  schools  were  established  in  Lan- 
caster, Reading,  York,  Easton,  and  other  places;  but,  un- 
fortunately, the  management  was  in  the  hands  of  men 
who  made  no  secret  of  their  intention  to  employ  the 
schools  as  a  means  of  breaking  the  alliance  which  had 
hitherto  subsisted  between  the  Germans  and  the  Quakers. 


CHARITY  SCHOOLS.  287 

The  trustees  represented  the  colonial  gentry,  and  when 
they  rode  about  in  their  coaches  to  estabHsh  schools  they 
certainly  did  not  do  much  to  conciliate  the  recipients  of 
their  bounty.  The  charity  was  admirable  in  its  nature 
and  purpose,  but  its  administration  had  all  the  peculiari- 
ties of  British  officialism  during  the  colonial  period. 

For  some  time  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  ministers 
sustained  Schlatter  in  his  arduous  labors,  but  it  soon  be- 
came evident  that  they  had  not  sufficient  influence  to  save 
the  charity  schools.  The  people  were  greatly  excited, 
and  held  meetings,  in  which  they  resolved  not  to  patronize 
them.  In  this  course  they  were  encouraged  by  Chris- 
topher Saur,  who  in  his  influential  paper  intimated  that 
the  whole  scheme  was  intended  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
establishment  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  German 
people  were  indignant  at  what  they  conceived  to  be  the 
misrepresentations  which  had  produced  the  "  foreign  char- 
ity." "  It  was,"  says  Harbaugh,  "  in  a  measure  at  least, 
a  just  indignation ;  and  we  feel  disposed  first  to  blame 
them  somewhat  for  a  lack  of  humility,  and  then  to  praise 
them  more  for  their  manliness  and  sense  of  honor."  We 
do  not  dissent  from  this  judgment,  but  cannot  help  feeling 
that  if  they  had  been  a  little  more  intelligent  and  a  little 
less  proud  it  might  have  been  better  for  their  descendants. 

In  the  midst  of  the  prevailing  excitement  Schlatter's 
earlier  services  were  forgotten,  and,  as  the  superintendent 
of  charity  schools,  he  became  the  main  object  of  popular 
opposition.  Utterly  disheartened,  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion, became  a  chaplain  in  the  British  army,  and  was 
present  at  the  siege  of  Louisburg.  After  his  return  to 
Philadelphia  he  lived  in  retirement  at  a  place  which  he 
called  "  Sweetland,"  at  Chestnut  Hill,  near  Philadelphia. 
His  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Henry  Schleydorn,  an  eminent 
merchant,  and  the  family  appears  to  have  been  in  comfort- 


288  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  vi. 

able  circumstances.  During  the  Revolution  he  earnestly 
advocated  the  American  cause,  and  was  imprisoned  while 
the  British  held  Philadelphia.  He  died  in  October,  1 790, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Reformed  churchyard  in  Philadel- 
phia, now  Franklin  Square. 

The  portrait  of  Schlatter  which  was  rescued  from  the 
British  by  his  daughter  Rachel  represents  a  man  with 
strongly  marked  Swiss  features,  seated  before  an  open 
Bible.  He  is  said  to  have  been  of  .small  stature,  but  active 
and  versatile.  Though  a  good  classical  scholar,  he  was 
rather  a  man  of  action  than  of  profound  thought.  As  a 
writer  his  style  was  somewhat  formal,  and  as  a  preacher 
he  was  less  popular  than  many  of  his  contemporaries. 

Though  the  charity  schools  were  not  successful,  the 
movement  certainly  directed  attention  to  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation. Though  the  fund  was  retained  in  England,  and 
was  subsequently  applied  to  other  purposes,  Harbaugh 
intimates  that  the  "  college  and  academy  "  in  Philadel- 
phia, from  which  theUniversity  of  Pennsylvania  was  historic- 
ally derived,  in  some  way  profited  by  it.  In  the  places 
where  charity  schools  had  been  established,  the  congrega- 
tional schools  were  greatly  improved,  and  several  of  them 
enjoyed  considerable  reputation.  This  educational  move- 
ment must  not,  therefore,  be  regarded  as  an  utter  failure, 
but  as  a  period  of  genuine  advancement. 

Though  the  pubHc  life  of  Schlatter  was  limited  to  a  few 
years,  there  are  few  men  who  have  accomplished  so  much 
in  a  long  lifetime.  His  organization  of  the  churches  was 
permanent,  and  the  ecclesiastical  body  which  he  founded 
is  still  in  existence.  The  funds  which  he  personally  col- 
lected in  Europe  were  securely  invested,  and  from  their 
income  the  Reformed  churches  of  this  country  for  many 
years  derived  valuable  aid.  The  ministers  whom  he  in- 
duced to  come  to  his  aid  became  the  leaders  of  the  church. 


EDUCATIONAL    WORK.  289 

and  to  some  of  them  belongs  the  credit  of  having  saved  it 
from  destruction.  Even  as  regards  his  connection  with 
the  charity  schools,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  he  was 
practically  the  earliest  superintendent  of  public  instruction 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  that,  at  least,  he  made  an  earnest 
eflfort  for  the  intellectual  advancement  of  his  people. 
After  all,  the  failures  of  one  man  are  often  more  brilliant 
than  the  successes  of  another;  and  the  pioneer  who  is  re- 
jected by  his  contemporaries  may  be  deservedly  honored 
by  succeeding  generations. 


CHAPTER   VII.   • 

THE    COETUS. 

The  events  which  we  have  related  were  succeeded  by  a 
season  of  gloom  and  depression.  That  there  were  reasons 
for  discouragement  is  sufficiently  evident.  During  this 
period,  however,  the  Coetus  which  Schlatter  had  founded 
prevented  utter  disintegration  and  prepared  the  way  for  a 
brighter  future. 

The  term  "  Coetus  "  is  said  to  have  been  applied  by 
John  a  Lasco,  in  1544,  to  a  conference  of  ministers  which 
he  had  founded  at  Embden.  In  America  it  was  more  than 
a  meeting  for  mutual  encouragement.  It  was,  in  fact, 
composed  of  ministers  and  elders,  and  resembled  a  Synod 
in  every  respect,  except  that  its  acts  were  subject  to  revis- 
ion by  the  Synods  of  Holland,  and  that  it  was  not  per- 
mitted to  administer  the  rite  of  ordination. 

The  annual  meetings  of  the  Coetus  were  characterized 
by  considerable  dignity,  not  to  say  formality.  The  mem- 
bers generally  met  at  the  school-house  and  marched  in 
solemn  procession  to  the  church,  where  the  Praeses  of  the 
preceding  year  preached  the  opening  sermon.  Tlie  letters 
from  Holland  were  then  read,  and  the  state  of  the  churches 
minutely  considered,  Then  the  elders  were  for  a  time 
dismissed,  and  the  censnra  luonnn  was  held,  at  which 
the  character  of  individual  ministers  was  investigated  and 
advice  given  with  regard  to  future  conduct.  Of  course 
there  are  no  records  of  these  private  meetings,  but  it  is 
possible  that  on  such  occasions  remarks  were  made  which 
were  too  personal  to  be  pleasant,  and  after  a  while  the 

2go 


REPORTS    TO   HOLLAND.  29 1 

ccnsnra  inormn  was  changed  into  the  presentation  of  re- 
ports of  the  state  of  the  congregations,  read  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  elders.  At  the  close  of  the  sessions,  which 
generally  lasted  three  days,  the  "  Holland  stipend  "  was 
divided,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  fathers. 
Sometimes  a  few  neighboring  ministers  held  conferences  in 
the  course  of  the  year  to  consider  matters  of  local  interest. 
The  latter  meetings  were  called  "convents,"  placing  the 
accent  on  the  second  syllable  of  the  word. 

The  minutes  of  the  Coetus  manifest  considerable  activ- 
ity on  the  part  of  individual  ministers.  In  consequence  of 
the  prevailing  religious  destitution,  it  was,  indeed,  almost 
impossible  for  a  pastor  to  confine  his  labors  to  a  definite 
field.  In  1757  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Steiner  reported  that  he  had 
traveled  2690  miles  in  visiting  vacant  churches,  and  other 
ministers  evidently  labored  with  equal  energy. 

As  the  minutes  of  the  Coetus  were  written  with  special 
reference  to  their  examination  in  Holland,  they  entered 
into  particulars  with  a  degree  of  minuteness  which  even 
now  renders  them  more  interesting  than  ordinary  ecclesi- 
astical proceedings.  The  fathers  insisted  that  they  should 
be  translated  into  Dutch  or  Latin  before  they  were  sent 
to  Europe,  and  this  necessity  was  sometimes  burdensome. 
Indeed,  as  one  of  the  secretaries  remarks,  "  It  is  difficult 
to  choose  between  writing  in  a  language  which  one  has 
never  properly  learned,  or  in  another  which  one  has  in 
great  measure  forgotten." 

From  the  replies  of  the  fathers  in  Holland  it  is  evident 
that  they  considered  every  question  with  the  utmost  care. 
Sometimes,  we  might  suppose,  they  would  plead  ignorance 
of  local  conditions  and  give  their  general  approval  of  the 
work  of  the  Coetus  without  entering  into  particulars,  but 
this  was  not  their  ordinary  method.  On  the  contrary, 
they  examined  every  point  with,  great  minuteness,  and 


292  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  vii. 

manifested  no  hesitation  in  reversing  the  acts  of  the  Coe- 
tus  when  they  did  not  fully  meet  their  approval.  It  is 
strange  that  not  one  of  them  ever  personally  visited  the 
field.  The  "  stipend  "  was  regularly  paid,  and  no  doubt 
it  did  a  great  deal  of  good ;  but  it  was  interpreted  as 
applicable  to  pastors  and  schools  in  Pennsylvania  alone, 
except  in  special  cases  of  which  the  fathers  were  the 
judges.  The  pastors  in  other  provinces  were  accordingly 
dissatisfied,  and  those  of  New  Jersey  pleaded  in  vain  for 
the  establishment  of  another  Coetus. 

The  ministers  of  the  Coetus  were  generally  well-edu- 
cated men ;  but  they  represented  various  schools  of  theol- 
ogy, and  differed,  of  course,  in  ability  as  well  as  in  earnest- 
ness of  purpose.  Of  the  six  ministers  whom  Schlatter 
brought  from  the  fatherland,  Stoy  and  Otterbein  became 
eminent  men  ;  but  their  personal  history  indicates  that  they 
represented  extreme  tendencies  in  the  life  of  the  church. 

William  Stoy  was  born  in  Herborn,  Germany,  March 
14,  1726,  and  died  at  Lebanon,  Pa.,  September  14,  1801. 
He  was  a  man  of  considerable  talent  and  force  of  charac- 
ter, but  eccentric,  and  unwilling  to  submit  to  authority. 
After  preaching  for  several  years  he  went  to  Leyden  and 
studied  medicine.  On  his  return  he  became  celebrated  as 
a  medical  practitioner,  and  it  was  generally  believed  that 
he  had  discovered  a  cure  for  hydrophobia.  He  was  pas- 
tor of  many  congregations,  and  aspired  to  be  a  political 
leader.  In  1772  he  withdrew  from  the  Coetus,  and  was 
afterward  its  active  opponent.  It  is  said  that  he  preached 
in  white  clothes,  "  for  fear  of  being  mistaken  for  a  black- 
coat.''  In  1784  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania legislature,  and  in  this  position  manifested  decided 
ability.  In  his  opposition  to  the  Coetus  he  accused  min- 
isters of  conspiring  against  the  liberty  of  the  people,  and 
has  been   regarded  as  in  great  measure   responsible  for 


Tl-VO  PARTIES.  293 

the  tendency  to  independence  which  has  afflicted  the  re- 
gion in  whicli  he  labored. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  understand  the  history  of  the 
Reformed  Church  of  the  last  century  without  acknowledg- 
ing the  fact  that  at  an  early  period  two  parties  were  de- 
veloped in  the  Coetus  itself.  Ordinarily  they  worked 
together  with  reasonable  harmony ;  but  it  was  understood 
that  they  difTered  widely  in  their  views  of  church  polity, 
and  occasionally  they  came  into  violent  collision.  These 
parties,  in  a  general  way,  resembled  the  "  Old  Side"  and 
"  New  Side  "  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Those  who 
held  to  the  first  party  laid  great  stress  on  purity  of  doc- 
trine, which  they  regarded  as  a  precious  trust  that  should 
not  be  lightly  committed  to  enthusiasts.  To  them  the 
educational  system  of  the  Reformed  Church  was  one  of 
the  main  reasons  for  its  continued  existence ;  and  the  es- 
tablished means  of  grace  were  regarded  with  a  degree  of 
reverence  which  their  opponents  declared  to  be  supersti- 
tious. Naturally  this  party  was  strongest  where  the  com- 
munity was  entirely  German  and  ancient  traditions  had 
consequently  remained  unimpaired.  The  other  party, 
though  it  included  some  learned  men,  was  inclined  to 
relax  the  ancient  rules  by  admitting  to  the  ministry  pious 
men  who  had  not  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  systematic 
education.  Deeply  impressed  with  the  deplorable  relig- 
ious condition  of  the  people,  they  would  gladly  have  sent 
forth  a  multitude  of  evangelists,  in  the  hope  of  thus  win- 
ning multitudes  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  members  of 
this  party  were  popularly  known  as  Pietists,  and  some  of 
them  had  been  trained  under  Pietistic  influences  in  Ger- 
many, though  they  were  perhaps  more  directly  influenced 
by  contemporary  movements  in  the  English  churches. 
Among  the  most  prominent  of  those  who  were  called 
Pietists  was  Philip  William  Otterbein,  who  was,  during  the 


294  ^'^^   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  vii. 

entire  period  of  the  Coetus,  one  of  the  most  active  and 
useful  ministers  of  the  Reformed  Church.  His  later  his- 
tory is,  however,  so  interesting  and  important  that  we 
shall  treat  it  at  length  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

For  many  years  the  Coetus  generally  met  either  in 
Philadelphia  or  in  Lancaster.  These  churches  were  re- 
garded as  the  most  important,  and  their  pastors  were  men 
of  great  influence.  Next  to  them  were  churches  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  Easton  and  York,  Pa.,  and  Frederick 
and  Baltimore,  Md.  Most  of  the  pastors  were,  however, 
in  charge  of  country  congregations,  and  we  have  no  doubt 
that  their  position  was  decidedly  more  comfortable. 

Among  the  most  prominent  members  of  the  Coetus  the 
following  may  be  enumerated : 

John  Daniel  Gros,  D.D.  (173  7-1 8 12),  was  the  founder 
of  the  church  of  Allentown,  Pa.  He  subsequently  removed 
to  New  York,  where  he  became  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Nassau  Street,  serving  also  as  professor  in  Columbia  Col- 
lege. He  published,  in  1 795,  "  Natural  Principles  of  Recti- 
tude," which  was  in  its  day  regarded  as  an  important  work. 

Caspar  Dietrich  Weyberg,  D.D.,  pastor  in  Easton 
and  Philadelphia  (died  i  790),  was  especially  active  in  pro- 
moting the  cause  of  education  among  the  Germans,  in 
whose  behalf  he  wrote  and  published  a  number  of  influ- 
ential pamphlets. 

William  Hendel,  D.D.,  pastor  successively  at  Lan- 
caster, Tulp'ehocken,  and  Lancaster,  was  regarded  as  one  of 
the  best  preachers  of  his  time.  He  died  in  Philadelphia, 
in  1 798,  of  yellow  fever. 

Nicholas  Pomp  (1734-18 19)  was  a  man  of  great  per- 
sonal influence  and  force  of  character.  He  wrote  and 
published  a  reply  to  "The  Everlasting  Gospel,"  a  volume 
favoring    universal    salvation, ^   then    attributed    to    Paul 

1  "  Kurzgefasste  Priifungen  des  ewigen  Evangeliums,"  Philadelphia, 
H.  Miller,  1774.     (See  Am.  Ch.  Hist.  Series,  vol.  .\.,  p.  376.) 


EMINENT  MEWISTERS.  295 

Siegvolck.  After  many  years  of  faithful  labor  in  Baltimore 
and  elsewhere,  he  resided  in  Easton,  Pa.,  supplying  several 
country  congregations  in  the  neighborhood  of  that  place. 
Harbaugh  relates  that  after  he  had  been  disabled  by  acci- 
dent his  people  made  arrangements  to  have  him  carried 
by  four  men,  on  a  litter,  a  distance  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles,  so  that  they  might  enjoy  the  privilege  of  hearing 
him  preach. 

J.  C.  Albertus  Helffenstein  (1748-90)  was  pastor 
at  Lancaster  and  Germantown.  He  was  an  eloquent 
preacher,  and  several  volumes  of  his  sermons  have  been 
published. 

Christian  Ludwig  Becker  (i  756-1818)  arrived  in 
America  in  1793,  and  his  work  properly  belongs  to  a  later 
period.  He  was  in  Europe  the  author  of  several  large 
volumes,  and  in  this  country  he  published  a  volume  of 
sermons  ^  and  several  minor  works. 

About  thirty  of  the  ministers  who  were  at  different 
times  members  of  the  Coetus  had  been  educated  at  Ger- 
man universities,  and  there  can  be  no-  doubt  that  it  was  a 
learned  and  dignified  body.  By  the  nature  of  its  consti- 
tution its  work  was,  however,  circumscribed,  and  its  num- 
bers did  not  rapidly  increase.  Though  the  fields  of  labor 
continued  large  the  ministers  were  sustained  by  the  pro- 
found respect  of  their  congregations.  Indeed,  in  many 
places  the  pastor  became  the  general  adviser,  if  not  prac- 
tically the  ruler,  of  his  people.  No  doubt  there  was  a 
tendency  toward  formalism — a  "  broadening  down  from 
precedent  to  precedent."  It  must,  however,  be  remem- 
bered that  in  this  period  the  foundations  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States  were  securely  laid. 

1  "  Sammlung  geistreicher  Predigten,"  Baltimore,  i8lo. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE    INDEPENDENTS. 

Though  the  Coetus  included  the  most  advanced  and 
promising  elements  in  the  Reformed  Church  of  this  coun- 
try, there  were  always  some  ministers  who  were  not  con- 
nected with  that  body.  These  men  dififered  among  them- 
selves in  character  and  purpose,  and  have  left  few  records 
of  their  labors.  Some  of  them  were  worthy  men  who  had 
been  ordained  in  Europe ;  but  having  come  to  America 
on  their  own  responsibility,  they  recognized  no  obligation 
to  submit  to  the  direction  of  the  Synods  of  Holland. 

There  was,  however,  a  larger  class  of  so-called  inde- 
pendent ministers  who  were  not  so  highly  regarded.  A 
few  of  these  were  survivors  of  the  unordained  preachers 
who  at  an  earlier  period  had  undertaken  the  work  of  the 
ministry  on  their  own  responsibility  and  without  adequate 
preparation;  but  the  greater  number  were  mere  pretend- 
ers who  eked  out  a  miserable  existence  by  traveling  from 
one  vacant  charge  to  another  and  preaching  for  the  col- 
lections which  might  happen  to  "fall."  When  some  half- 
educated  German — possibly  a  drunken  schoolmaster,  a 
discharged  military  officer,  or  a  worthless  sprig  of  nobility 
— had  become  financially  stranded  in  America,  it  was  an 
easy  expedient  to  pretend  to  be  a  minister,  and  thus  to 
impose  on  an  unsuspecting  community.  Of  course  the 
real  character  of  the  man  soon  became  apparent ;  but  his 
luggage  was  light,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  in  removing  to 

296 


JOHN'  JOACHIM  ZUBLY.  297 

some  new  field.  The  people  soon  learned  to  appreciate 
the  character  of  these  fellows,  and  called  them  Herum- 
Iciiifcr,  or  vagrants ;  but  though  they  unceremoniously  ran 
them  out  of  the  neighborhood  where  their  true  character 
was  revealed,  they  were  naturally  unsuspecting  and  were 
ready  to  listen  sympathetically  to  the  next  plausible  pre- 
tender. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  during  the  colonial 
period  these  worthless  fellows  were  a  main  obstacle  to  the 
progress  of  the  church. 

That  the  Coetus  recognized  a  wide  distinction  between 
these  several  classes  is  sufficiently  evident.  When,  as 
sometimes  happened,  a  worthy  minister  who  had  hitherto 
labored  independently  in  New  York  or  the  Carolinas 
unexpectedly  appeared  at  a  meeting  of  Coetus,  he  was 
cordially  welcomed,  and  his  name  was  without  hesitation 
placed  on  the  roll  of  members.  He  was  henceforth  said 
to  have  been  "  legitimated  "  ;  but  on  account  of  the  great 
distance  he  could  hardly  be  expected  to  attend  regularly, 
and  in  a  year  or  two  his  name  was  apt  to  disappear  from 
the  roll. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  Reformed  minister  who 
during  the  colonial  period  enjoyed  the  most  extended 
reputation  belonged  to  the  better  class  of  independents. 
The  author  having  come  into  possession  of  some  original 
material  concerning  his  remarkable  career,  it  is  proper  to 
consider  it  with  some  particularity. 

John  Joachim  Zubly,  D.D.,  whose  name  is  also  written 
Zubley,  Ziibli,  and  Ziiblein,  was  born  at  St.  Gall,  Switzer- 
land, August  24,  1724,  His  father  emigrated  to  America 
with  his  family  in  i  726,^  and  settled  in  South  Carolina.2 


1  The  "  Guardian,"  September,  1867. 

2  The  father  appears  to  liave  been  a  man  of  some  culture.  On  a  page  of 
the  /tortus  aniiconnn,  or  album,  belonging  to  the  son — now  in  possession  of 
the  author — the  father  has  placed  an  original  drawing,  representing  the  ascent 


298  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  viii. 

When  the  son  was  but  sixteen  years  old  he  was  sent  to 
Europe  to  be  educated  for  the  ministry.  He  studied  at 
Tubingen  and  Halle,  and  was  ordained  at  Coire  (Chur), 
Switzerland,  in  1 744,  before  he  was  quite  twenty  years 
old.  During  his  sojourn  in  the  fatherland  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  many  eminent  men,  whose  names  and 
vota  appear  in  his  album.  Making  all  allowance  for  the 
somewhat  extravagant  expression  of  peVsonal  affection 
which  was  common  to  the  age,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  these  men  were  profoundly  interested  in  the  "  boy 
minister."  The  month  of  August,  1744,  he  spent  in  Lon- 
don, where  Ziegenhagen  and  others  added  their  best 
wishes  to  his  collection  of  autographs. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  Zubly  was  for  a  time  the 
pastor  of  a  charge  in  Pennsylvania ;  but  the  recent  discov- 
ery of  documents  leaves  no  time  for  this  pastorate.  ^  In 
1 745  he  was  in  South  Carolina  with  his  parents ;  in  i  746 
he  visited  George  Whitefield  at  his  orphanage  at  "  Be- 
thesda,"  near  Savannah,  and  in  his  "  albo-lines  "  the  cele- 
brated preacher  calls  him  ex  intivio  corde — his  "son  in  the 
Lord."  In  1749  he  was  pastor  of  a  German  church  at 
Charleston,  S.  C,  and  at  this  time  a  call  was  extended  to 
him  by  the  Reformed  church  of  Lancaster,  Pa. ;  but  it 
must  have  been .  declined,  as  he  never  became  pastor 
of  that  congregation.      In   1753  he  visited  the  North  and 

of  Elijah,  together  with  his  best  wishes  for  his  son's  success  in  the  ministry, 
concluding  with  the  following  quaint  stanza : 

"  So  wiinschet  denn  aus  liebem  Herz, 
Und  zeichnet  audi  mit  Liebeshand, 
Der  des  Besitzers  Vater  ist, 
Und  David  Ziibli  wird  genannt. 

"  Gemacht  in  Purrysbourg,  South  Carolina,  in  Granville  County,  Anno 
Domini  1745." 

1  Mittelberger,  in  his  "  Reise  nach  Pennsylvanien  "  (1750-54),  enumer- 
ates Zubly  as  one  of  six  Reformed  ministers  at  that  time  officiating  in  Penn- 
sylvania; but  it  is  plain  that  he  was  a  visitor  and  not  a  settled  pastor. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


299 


seems  to  have  traveled  pretty  extensively.  Among-  those 
who  at  this  time  wrote  a  few  lines  in  his  Jiortus  aniicoruiii 
were  Michael  Schlatter,  H.  M.  Muhlenberg,  and  several 
other  prominent  Reformed  and  Lutheran  ministers,  be- 
sides such  well-known  ministers  of  other  churches  as  Gil- 
bert Tennent,  Aaron  Burr,  president  of  Princeton  College, 
Alexander  Gumming,  of  the  Old  South  Ghurch,  Boston, 
and  the  Swedish  ministers  of  Philadelphia.  On  one  page 
is  the  following: 

"  Sabbath  morning  is  fixed  upon  for  a  mutuai  Remem- 
brance of  us  ye  subscribers  thro'  Divine  Grace  in  Secret  at 
ye  Throne  of  Grace. 

"James  Davenport, 

"J.  J.  ZUBLY. 

"  Philadelphia,  May  16,  1753." 

When  it  is  remembered  that  Davenport  was  the  most 
enthusiastic  revivalist  of  his  age,  who  at  an  earlier  date 
had  destroyed  by  fire  "  wigs, '  cloaks,  breeches,  hoods, 
gowns,  rings,  jewels,  necklaces,  and  certain  books,  in  order 
to  cure  the  people  of  their  idolatrous  love  of  worldly 
things,"  i  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  Zubly  sympathized 
with  the  "New  Side."  That  he  did  not  approve  of  the 
fanatic  asceticism  of  the  mystics  is  evident  from  his  hith- 
erto unpubHshed  letter,  addressed,  in  1755,  to  Conrad 
Beissel,  the  founder  of  the  Ephrata  brotherhood.  Though 
it  differs  in  style  from  the  ordinary  correspondence  of  the 
writer,  it  is  in  other  respects  so  characteristic  that  we  here 
reproduce  it : 

"  To  Friedsam  in  Ephrata  :  Grace  and  every  bless- 
ing in  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  and  of  our  eternal  Me- 
diator and  High  Priest ! 

1   "  Cyclopaedia  of  American  Biography,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  84. 


300  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  viii. 

"  I  have  been  considerably  exercised  in  mind  as  to 
whether  I  should  answer  your  recent  letter  or  not — partly 
because  I  have  enough  to  do  with  my  own  miseries  and 
many  infirmities ;  partly  because  I  can  readily  conclude, 
from  the  spirit  which  reveals  itself  in  your  letter,  that  any 
representation  from  me  would  in  your  eyes  be  lightly 
regarded — and  inasmuch  as  you  consider  yourself  much 
more  highly  exalted  than  I  am  (if  you  are  further  ad- 
vanced in  grace  than  I  you  merely  excel  a  weak  infant) 
you  will  probably  not  suppose  yourself  obliged  to  receive 
an  exhortation  from  me. 

"  Inasmuch,  however,  as  you  intimate  how  exalted  is 
the  order,  or  perhaps  responsibility,  into  which  you  regard 
yourself  as  having  been  placed  by  God,  I  will  tell  you 
honestly  how  you  appear  to  me.  May  the  Lamb  whose 
eyes  are  like  flames  of  fire  reveal  in  thee  and  me  all  the 
heights  and  depths  of  our  hearts!  'Thou  sayest,  I  am 
rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  knowest  not  that 
thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind, 
and  naked.'  I  counsel  thee  that,  as  a  poor  sinner,  worthy 
of  hell,  thou  shouldest  go  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and  buy  of 
him  '  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich ;  and 
white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the 
shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear  [before  angels  and 
men]  ;  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou  may- 
est see.'  It  is  certainly  pleasant  to  a  proud  nature  to 
print,  to  say,  or  to  hear :  '  Thou  art  certainly  an  exalted 
man  ;  thou  art  far  advanced  in  sanctification  ! '  When  to 
this  is  added  the  proud  self-deception  that  a  man  imagines 
himself  a  priest  for  the  atonement  of  others,  he  grows 
giddy  in  spiritual  conceit  and  becomes  boastful  beyond 
measure. 

"  Oh  that  the  Lord  Jesus  would  either  bring  you  down 
gently  from   your  deceptive  exaltation,  or  else  cast  you 


A    SON   OF  LIBERTY. 


301 


down  by  his  divine  power,  so  that  personally  you  may 
sweetly  experience  the  abundant  riches  of  his  grace,  and 
that  when  you  are  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary 
you  may  not  be  found  wanting! 

"  For  man  is  worth  no  more,  I  fear, 
Than  what  he  doth  to  God  appear. 

"  I  believe  that  in  this  letter  I  have  proved  myself  thy 
faithful  friend ;  but  will  leave  it  with  God  in  the  hope  that 
he  may  bless  it  so  that  thou  mayest  become  sober. 

"J.  Joachim  Zublin. 

"January  9,  1755." 

Until  about  1758  Zubly  remained  pastor  of  the  church 
in  Charleston,  S.  C.  It  was  a  large  congregation,  but 
seems  to  have  been  independent  of  all  ecclesiastical  rela- 
tions. Then  he  removed  to  Savannah,  Ga.,  where  he 
founded  a  German  church,  preaching  at  the  same  time 
for  a  small  Huguenot  settlement.  For  many  years  he 
regularly  preached  German  on  Sunday  morning,  French 
in  the  afternoon,  and  English  in  the  evening.  He  wrote 
several  books,  which  were  published  b}'  Christopher  Saur, 
of  Germantown.  In  1770  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  the  College  of  New  Jersey. 
In  one  of  his  letters  he  says  that  Schlatter  had  requested 
him  to  be  "legitimated"  by  the  Coetus,  and  he  seems  to 
intimate  an  intention  of  attending  one  of  its  meetings ; 
but  it  does  not  appear  that  this  laudable  intention  was 
ever  accomplished. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution  there  was  no  man 
in  Georgia  more  influential  than  Dr.  Zubly.  He  had 
taken  a  prominent  part  with  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  and  had 
preached  an  eloquent  sermon  in  their  behalf  before  the 
Provincial  Congress  assembled  in  Savannah.      On  the  4th 


302  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  viii. 

of  September,  1775,  he  was  selected,  with  four  others,  to 
represent  the  colony  of  Georgia  in  the  Continental  Con- 
gress. He  declined  to  accept  the  appointment  unless  his 
congregation  gave  its  consent.  A  committee  was  then 
sent  to  consult  with  the  people,  and  they  finally  agreed 
"  to  spare  their  minister  for  a  time  for  the  good  of  the 
common  cause." 

It  is  evident  that  Dr.  Zubly's  standpoint  was  not  un- 
derstood. Though  he  had  strenuously  resisted  the  tyran- 
nical measures  of  the  British  ministry  he  never  favored 
separation  from  the  mother  country.  In  his  "  Reply  "  to 
Paine's  "  Common  Sense  "  occurs  the  following  sentence, 
which  sufficiently  indicates  the  nature  of  his  political  sen- 
timents :  "  The  author  looks  upon  an  entire  separation  not 
as  a  last  remedy,  but  as  a  new  and  dangerous  disease ; 
and  earnestly  prayeth  that  America,  in  that  connection, 
may  soon  and  forever  enjoy  that  constitution  and  freedom 
which  her  representatives  so  justly  claim." 

For  about  four  months  Dr.  Zubly  occupied  a  seat  in  the 
Continental  Congress ;  but  it  soon  became  evident  that 
his  sentiments  were  objectionable  to  the  majority.  Early 
in  1776,  when  the  question  of  independence  was  debated, 
Samuel  Chase,  of  Maryland,  rose  in  his  seat  and  publicly 
accused  him  of  treasonable  correspondence  with  Sir  James 
Wright,  colonial  governor  of  Georgia.  Whether  such  cor- 
respondence was  actually  held  it  may  now  be  hard  to  de- 
termine ;  but  it  shows  the  temper  of  the  times  that  even 
prior  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence  communication 
with  a  British  official  could  be  construed  as  treasonable. 
Soon  afterward  Dr.  Zubly  left  Congress  and  returned 
home  for  the  purpose  of  using  his  influence  against  sepa- 
ration from  the  mother  country.  He  must,  however,  soon 
have  discovered  that  he  had  mistaken  the  signs  of  the 
times,       His    popularity   vanished,    and    he    was    treated 


BANISHMENT  AND  DEATH. 


303 


with  great  harshness.  In  1777  he  was  banished  from 
Savannah,  with  the  loss  of  half  his  estate.  When  the  royal 
government  was  for  a  time  established  in  Georgia  he  re- 
turned to  his  charge  in  Savannah,  and  there  remained  till 
his  death,  which  occurred  July  23,  1781.  After  his  death 
there  was  a  reaction  in  popular  sentiment ;  and  two  of  the 
streets  of  Savannah — Joachim  and  Zubly — still  bear  his 
name.  The  church  which  he  founded  is  known  as  the 
Independent  Presbyterian  Church. 

Though  Dr.  Zubly  was  undoubtedly  the  most  eminent 
of  the  independent  ministers,  there  were  others  who  en- 
joyed more  than  local  reputation  and  influence.  That 
there  were  so  many  of  them  was  due  in  great  measure  to 
the  Coetus  itself,  which  made  no  serious  efforts  to  extend 
its  borders  beyond  the  region  which  Schlatter  had  trav- 
ersed. It  is  said,  indeed,  that  neither  men  nor, means 
were  at  hand  for  such  a  work ;  but  we  cannot  help  think- 
ing that  a  single  strong  man,  laboring  in  Schlatter's  spirit, 
might  have  accomplished  wonders. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    PIETISTS. 

The  neglected  condition  of  many  churches,  especially 
in  Maryland,  gave  occasion  to  a  movement  for  their  relief. 
Though  this  movement  subsequently  assumed  a  form 
which  had  not  been  contemplated  by  its  originators,  it 
occupies  a  prominent  place  in  the  history  of  the  Reformed 
Church  of  this  period.  At  first  confined  to  the  Reformed 
Church,  it  finally  extended  beyond  these  limits  and  thus 
gave  rise  to  an  important  religious  denomination.  In 
order  that  this  important  movement  may  be  understood 
it  is  necessary  to  present  a  brief  sketch  of  the  man  who 
has  been  recognized  as  its  leader. 

Philip  William  Otterbein  was  born  June  3,  1726,  at 
Dillenburg,  in  Nassau,.  Germany,  and  died  in  Baltimore, 
Md.,  October  17,  18 13.  He  belonged  to  a  family  in 
which  the  ministry  might  almost  be  said  to  have  become 
hereditary  ;  for  his  father  and  grandfather  had  been  Re- 
formed ministers,  and  five  of  his  brothers  assumed  the 
sacred  office. 

The  type  of  religious  life  which  prevailed  in  Dillenburg 
may  be  described  as  Pietistic,  but  not  mystical.  The 
Otterbeins  belonged  to  the  class  who  at  an  earlier  date 
would  have  been  termed  "  die  Feinen."  They  laid  great 
stress  on  the  cultivation  of  personal  religious  experience, 
but  were  at  the  same  time  profoundly  attached  to  the 
confessions  of  their  church.  ' 

304 


OTTEKBEIN.  305 

At  Herborn,  near  Dillenburg,  there  was  a  celebrated 
school,  in  which  Olevianus  had  once  been  a  teacher.  Here 
the  sons  of  the  Otterbein  family  were  educated;  but  they 
no  doubt  enjoyed  additional  literary  advantages.  They 
seem  to  have  been  well  trained,  and  one  of  them,  at  least, 
became  an  eminent  author. 

When  Philip  William  Otterbein  had  completed  his  theo- 
logical course  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  and  for  a 
short  time  served  as  vicar  at  Ockersdorf.  In  joining  the 
little  company  of  ministers  that  accompanied  Schlatter  he 
was  no  doubt  actuated  by  the  purest  motives ;  and  his 
whole  subsequent  career  indicates  that  his  highest  object 
in  life  was  to  be  instrumental  in  saving  the  souls  of  men. 

Otterbein's  work  in  the  Reformed  Church  was  very  suc- 
cessful. From  1752  to  1774  he  successively  held  pastor- 
ates at  Lancaster,  Tulpehocken,  Frederick,  Md.,  and  York, 
Pa.  In  1770-71  he  visited  his  relatives  in  Germany;  but 
his  people  in  York  refused  to  give  him  up,  and  at  their 
request  the  church  was.  supplied  by  members  of  Coetus. 
In  Lancaster  and  Frederick  new  churches  were  built  dur- 
ing his  pastorate ;  but  though  there  are  traditions  of  dis- 
agreement at  these  places,  any  minister  who  has  built  a 
church  will  have  no  difficulty  in  appreciating  the  condi- 
tions. That  he  was  regarded  as  more  Pietistic  than  some 
of  his  brethren  we  do  not  doubt;  but  there  was  no  con- 
flict. As  a  preacher  he  was  earnest  and  persuasive ;  but 
his  voice  was  weak,  and  he  was  never  a  popular  orator. 
It  was  his  amiable  disposition  and  transparent  sincerity 
that  gained  him  the  affection  of  the  people. 

In  1774  Otterbein  received  a  call  from  the  Second  Re- 
formed Church  of  the  city  of  Baltimore.  The  history  of 
this  congregation  had  been  discouraging.  As  early  as 
1750  there  had  been  a  Reformed  church  in  Baltimore, 
which  seems  to  have  been  irregularly  supphed  until  1757, 


3o6  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  ix. 

when  John  Christopher  Faber  was  elected  pastor.  Faber 
was  a  man  of  some  culture ;  but  his  preaching  was  not 
generally  acceptable,  and  it  was  asserted  by  his  opponents 
that  he  lacked  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  sanctity  of  his 
office.  In  1770  Faber's  unpopularity  became  so  great 
that  a  part  of  the  congregation  earnestly  demanded  his 
resignation  or  removal.  This  party  was  greatly  pleased 
with  the  preaching  of  a  man  named  Benedict  Schwob  or 
Schwope.^  He  had  been  an  elder  in  St.  Benjamin's  Church, 
near  Westminster,  Md.,  and  was  very  imperfectly  edu- 
cated. In  those  days  it  was  not  unusual  for  ruling  elders 
to  occupy  the  pulpit  in  the  absence  of  a  regular  minister, 
and  it  was  probably  in  this  way  that  Mr.  Schwope  became 
a  popular  exhorter.  He  applied  to  the  Coetus  for  ordina- 
tion, and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that,  notwithstanding  the 
standing  rule,  the  application  was  granted.  In  the  annual 
report  occurs  the  following  passage  :  "  The  want  of  faithful 
teachers,  especially  in  Maryland,  induces  us  to  accept  as 
our  brother  every  one  who  may  become  a  worthy  laborer  in 
building  up  and  advancing  the  kingdom  of  God.  We  hope 
this  of  Mr.  Schwope,  and  therefore  trust  that  the  Reverend 
Fathers  will  not  be  surprised  at  our  action,  but  will  rather 
approve  it,  especially  as  we  seek  nothing  thereby  but  the 
salvation  of  souls  and  the  honor  of  our  God." 

How  the  matter  was  regarded  in  Holland  appears  from 
the  following  paragraph  in  a  letter  from  the  fathers,  dated 
January  12,  1773  : 

"  Concerning  the  ordination  of  Domine  Schwope  we 
will  say  nothing,  inasmuch  as  Maryland  does  not  fall 
within  our  jurisdiction  ;  but  we  would  earnestly  warn  you 
hereafter  not  to  admit  men  to  the  ministry  unless  they 
have  been  properly  recommended  by  us." 

1  Tlic  name  was  variously  written,  even  by  its  owner.      No  doubt  it  was 
originally  Schwab. 


BALTIMORE.  307 

The  party  in  the  Reformed  church  of  Baltimore  which 
favored  Mr.  Schwope  beheved  itself  in  the  majority  and 
made  an  attempt  to  remove  Mr.  Faber,  which  proved  un- 
successful. The  defeated  party  then  withdrew  and  built 
a  small  church,  which  was  for  a  time  supplied  by  Mr. 
Schwope.  Both  parties  appealed  to  Coetus,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  the  minutes  are  burdened  with  accounts  of 
their  troubles.^  Once  it  was  agreed  that  both  pastors 
should  retire,  and  Faber  removed  from  Baltimore  to 
Taneytown  ;  but  as  Schwope  did  not  immediately  with- 
draw, the  old  church  declared  themselves  released  from 
the  agreement,  and  elected  Mr.  Wallauer,  who  had  just 
arrived  from  Germany.  For  this  act  they  were  sharply 
reprimanded  by  Coetus. 

The  seceding  body  now  extended  a  call  to  Otterbein,  but 
he  at  first  declined  it  on  account  of  the  disorganized  con- 
dition of  the  congregation.  Finally  he  expressed  his  willing- 
ness to  accept  if  Coetus  should  give  its  consent.  The  matter 
was  considered  at  length  at  the  meeting  held  in  Lancaster  in 
1773;  but  as  the  Coetus  still  hoped  to  reunite  the  two  con- 
gregations it  was  declared  that  it  would  be  better  for  some 
other  minister  to  undertake  the  task.  The  elders  of  both 
parties  then  extended  a  call  to  Hendel,  who  was  Otterbein's 
brother-in-law  and  most  intimate  friend.  The  old  church, 
however,  refused  to  ratify  the  action  of  its  representatives, 
and  the  seceding  party  evidentl}^  felt  justified  in  renewing 
its  call  to  Mr.  Otterbein,  who  finally  accepted  it.  The 
old  church  protested,  and  presented  testimonials  in  favor 
of  Mr.  Wallauer;  but  the  Coetus  referred  the  whole  matter 
to  Holland,  which  seems  to  have  been  a  good  way  of  lay- 
ing it  indefinitely  on  the  table.  In  the  succeeding  year 
Otterbein's  call  to  Baltimore  was  regularly  confirmed,  and 

1  See  article  on  "  Otterbein  and  the  Reformed  Church,"  "  Reformed  Quar- 
terly Review,"  October,  1884. 


308  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  ix. 

the  Coetus  expressed  its  satisfaction  at  learning  that  "  his 
labors  are  blest  and  the  opposing  party  cease  from  strife." 
In  1784  the  Coetus  resolved  that  "inasmuch  as  reunion 
is  not  to  be  expected,  both  congregations  be  retained  and 
recognized  as  congregations  connected  with  Coetus,  so  long 
as  they  remain  faithful  to  the  doctrines  and  customs  of  the 
Reformed  Church." 

There  are  certain  facts  connected  with  Otterbein's  ac- 
ceptance of  the  call  to  Baltimore  which,  we  think,  have 
not  received  the  attention  which  they  deserve.  Let  us 
relate  them  as  briefly  as  possible. 

In  1 771  Francis  Asbury,  the  pioneer  of  American 
Methodism,  arrived  in  this  country.  As  is  well  known, 
he  did  not  propose  to  establish  a  separate  religious  de- 
nomination; but,  in  furtherance  of  the  great  movement 
inaugurated  by  Wesley  and  his  coadjutors,  he  founded 
societies  whose  sole  condition  of  membership  was  "  a 
desire  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come  and  be  saved  from  sin." 
The  sacraments  were  not  administered  in  these  Methodist 
societies,  but  the  class  system  was  introduced,  and  some  of 
the  leaders  afterward  became  earnest  Methodist  ministers. 

In  1772  Asbury  made  the  acquaintance  of  Schwope^ 
and  found  in  him  a  sympathetic  soul.  They  agreed  "  to 
promote  the  settling  of  Mr.  Otterbein  in  Baltimore,"  and 
Asbury  wrote  him  a  letter  urging  him  to  come.  Together 
they  laid  a  plan,  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Methodists, 
for  introduction  into  the  German  churches  ;  and,  according 
to  Asbury's  diary,  it  was  proposed  to  present  it  to  the 
Coetus  for  general  adoption. 

That  the  plan  appeared  fascinating  to  Otterbein  we  can 

readily  understand.      It  was  based  on  the  old  idea  of  the 

ccclcsiola   in    ecclcsia,    which     had    been    familiar    to   the 

Reformed  people  of  Germany  since   the  days  of  Jean  de 

1  Drury's  "  Life  of  Otterbein,"  p.  162. 


THE   CLASS  SYSTEM.  309 

Labadie.  In  many  churches  of  the  Lower  Rhine  there 
were  societies  whose  members  regarded  themselves  as 
having  attained  a  superior  degree  of  spiritual  enlighten- 
ment, and  who  frequently  met  for  mutual  edification.  In 
many  instances  these  societies  had  accomplished  much 
good,  and,  as  the  state  was  careful  to  preserve  the  external 
organization  of  the  church,  it  was  but  rarely  that  they  re- 
sulted in  schism. 

The  plan  proposed  by  Mr.  Asbury  appeared  to  furnish 
an  answer  to  what  was  then  a  burning  question,  especially 
in  Maryland.  The  lack  of  ministers  was  very  great,  and 
the  people  were  everywhere  clamoring  for  religious  instruc- 
tion. In  some  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  under  the  fostering 
care  of  the  church  of  Holland,  the  condition  of  affairs  was 
gradually  improving;  but  in  Maryland  it  was  deplorable, 
and  sometimes  seemed  to  be  hopeless.  The  only  prac- 
ticable expedient  appeared  to  be  to  enlist  the  laity  in  the 
devotional  work  of  the  church.  Otterbein  and  Schwope 
accordingly  organized  class-meetings  in  their  respective 
churches,  and  appointed  "  leaders  "  who  were  to  aid  the 
pastor  in  his  work.  Within  a  few  months  the  class  system 
was  introduced  into  a  considerable  number  of  churches  in 
Maryland  and  southern  Pennsylvania.  The  classes  met 
once  or  twice  during  the  week,  and  on  Sunday  a  public 
meeting  was  conducted  by  the  leaders.  In  the  work  of 
organization  Otterbein  and  Schwope  were  assisted  by 
several  of  the  most  prominent  ministers  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  Semi-annual  conferences  were  held,  at  which 
reports  were  presented  by  the  several  societies  or  classes. 

All  this  fully  appears  from  the  minutes  of  five  of  these 
conferences,  which  were  in  1882  discovered  by  the  author 
among  the  records  of  St.  Benjamin's  Church,  near  West- 
minster, Md.  These  minutes  begin  with  what  appears  to 
have  been  the  second  meeting,  in  1774,  and  end  abruptly 


3  Id  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  ix. 

in  1776.  The  movement  was  at  this  time  entirely  confined 
to  the  Reformed  Church,  and  included,  we  believe,  all  the 
Reformed  churches  in  Maryland  except  the  First  Church 
of  Baltimore  and  Mr.  Faber's  charge  at  Taneytown.  Sev- 
eral important  churches  in  Pennsylvania  weise  also  repre- 

'sented.  The  ministers  who  attended  these  conferences, 
besides  Otterbein  and  Schwope,  were  Jacob  Weimer,  of 
Hagerstown,  F.  L.  Henop,  of  Frederick,  Daniel  Wagner, 
of  York,  Pa.,  and  William  Handel,  of  Tulpehocken.  They 
called  themselves  "  United  Ministers,"  but  not  in  any 
exclusive  sense.  They  were  among  the  most  prominent 
members  of  Coetus,  and  it  is  evident  that  at  that  time  the 
"  New  Lights  "  were  decidedly  in  the  ascendant  in  that 
body,  though  they  may  not  have  been  the  most  numerous. 
Whether  the  conferences  were  continued  after  1776  we 
do  not  know.  It  appears  that  soon  after  this  time  certain 
peculiarities  began  to  appear  which  are  familiar  from  the 
early  days  of  Methodism.  Among  those  who  became 
interested  in  the  movement  were  men  who  were  not  con- 
nected with  the  Reformed  Church  and  had  no  intention  of 
becoming  identified  with  it ;  and  Martin  Boehm,  who  had 
been  a  Mennonite,  became  one  of  the  leaders.  In  i  783 
George  A.  Gueting,  who  had  been  one  of  the  class-lead- 
ers, and  who  had  studied  theology  with  Otterbein,  was 
ordained  to  the  ministr}^  by  the  Coetus.  He  was  of  a 
more  enthusiastic  temperament  than  Mr.  Otterbein,  whose 

.disposition  was  more  quiet  and  reflective.  Under  Gue- 
ting's  direction  were  held  the  "  great  meetings  "  on  the 
Antietam,  which  still  live  in  popular  tradition. 

Otterbein,  like  Zinzendorf  and  Wesley,  appears  to  have 
held  that  Christians  of  various  denominations  might  par- 
ticipate in  higher  unity  without  renouncing  their  original 
ecclesiastical  relations.  He  therefore  continued  to  take  a 
profound  interest  in  the  movement  which  he  had  helped 


OTTERBEIN'S  POSITION.  311 

to  inaugurate,  but  was  at  the  same  time  careful  to  remain 
in  regular  standing  in  the  Coetus  of  the  Reformed  Church. 
He  was  also  favorable  to  the  Methodists,  and  in  1784 
assisted  Dr.  Coke  in  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Asbury.  In 
the  same  year  he  was  present  at  the  Coetus  held  in 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  and  in  1785  was  excused  for  absence  orj 
account  of  being  on  a  missionary  journey  to  the  vacant 
churches  of  Virginia. 

For  thirty-nine  years  Mr.  Otterbein  was  pastor  of  the 
Second  Reformed  Church  of  Baltimore.  During  all  this 
period  he  was  in  full  membership  in  the  Coetus,  though 
he  engaged  in  evangelistic  efforts  which  extended  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  Reformed  Church.  Though  he  was  rec- 
ognized as  what  would  at  a  later  time  have  been  called 
"  an  extreme  new-measure  man,"  the  Coetus  and  Synod 
never  by  word  or  act  condemned  his  course.  In  the 
minutes  of  Coetus  he  is  frequently  mentioned  in  compli- 
mentary terms,  and  once,  at  least,  the  Dutch  Synods  made 
a  special  appropriation  in  his  behalf,  in  token  of  their  con- 
fidence and  esteem.  The  most  influential  members  of  the 
Coetus  had  themselves  been  trained  under  pietistic  influ- 
ences and  were  not  inclined  to  turn  aside  from  a  man  who 
had  been  for  years  their  leader. 

It  has  been  asserted  that  while  Otterbein  was  a  member 
of  Coetus  the  congregation  which  he  served  was  inde- 
pendent. The  arguments  by  which  this  is  made  to  ap- 
pear are  certainly  insufficient,  and  the  fact  is  plain  from 
the  minutes  of  Coetus  that  the  two  churches  in  Baltimore 
occupied  precisely  the  same  position.  Both  sent  annual 
statistical  reports,  which  were  incorporated  in  the  minutes 
without  note  or  comment.  There  were  in  those  days 
many  congregations  which  declared  themselves  independ- 
ent ;  but  the  act  became  well  known  and  was  generally 
accompanied  by  some  sort  oi  prominciamento.     In  Otter- 


312  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  i.\. 

bein's  church  no  such  action  was  taken,  and  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  its  position  was  favored  by  a  large  party  in 
the  Coetus.  In  some  parts  of  Pennsylvania  the  Coetus 
itself  became  unpopular  on  account  of  its  sympath}-  for 
the  Pietists.  Gradually,  however,  the  church  which  Otter- 
bein  served  became  more  deeply  interested  in  its  evan- 
gelistic mcn-'ements  than  in  its  denominational  relations, 
so  that  after  the  death  of  its  pastor  it  became  possible  to 
alienate  it  from  the  Reformed  Church. 

When  it  became  evident  that  a  life  which  was  foreign 
to  the  Reformed  Church  was  in  course  of  development 
many  ministers  and  churches  gradually  withdrew  from 
this  well-meant  evangelistic  movement.  Others,  however, 
became  more  energetic  in  its  defense ;  and  among  these 
ministers  the  most  pronounced  was  Gueting.  He  rarel}- 
attended  Synod,  and  seemed  utterly  indifferent  to  its 
counsels  and  commands.  In  1804  he  was  accused  of  dis- 
orderly conduct  and  was  excluded  from  Synod  by  a  vote 
of  20  to  17.  At  the  same  time  the  Synod  formally  de- 
clared that  he  "  might  at  any  time  be  restored  on  giving 
evidence  of  true  reformation."  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  Gueting's  exclusion  "  drove  the  wedge  of  separa- 
tion "  ;  but  it  is  hard  to  see  how  the  Synod  could  with 
proper  self-respect  have  acted  otherwise,  and  it  is  more 
than  likely  that  Mr.  Gueting  did  not  desire  different  action. 
He  became  an  active  minister  in  the  church  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ.  Mr.  Otterbein  remained  connected 
with  the  Synod,  and  was  in  1806  present  at  its  annual 
meeting  in  Baltimore.  He  was,  however,  warmly  attached 
to  the  men  with  whom  he  had  labored,  and  recognizing 
the  fact  that  a  new  denomination  was  unavoidable,  one  of 
his  last  official  acts  was  to  give  it  a  settled  ministry  by  the 
rite  of  ordination. 

For  many  years  the  new  denomination  was  popularly 


THE   SEPARATION.  313 

known  as  New  Reformed,  though  its  official  title  was 
"  United  Brethren  in  Christ."  The  number  of  Reformed 
ministers  who  joined  this  body  was  not  large,  but  in  Mary- 
land especially  it  occupied  places  which  the  Reformed 
Church  had  neglected,  and  gathered  many  of  its  scattered 
members.  So  far  as  the  Reformed  Church  was  concerned 
it  must  be  conceded  that  Otterbein's  well-meant  move- 
ment did  not  accomplish  its  original  purpose  ;  and  however 
excellent  may  have  been  its  results  in  other  directions,  its 
general  effect  on  the  Reformed  churches  was  for  a  time 
depressing.  Pietism  came  to  be  regarded  as  equivalent 
with  separatism  ;  and  in  their  efforts  to  avoid  one  extreme 
good  men  sometimes  were  carried  to  another.  The  church, 
however,  remained  faithful  to  its  standards,  and  though  its 
type  of  piety  became  less  demonstrative  it  was  believed 
to  be  no  less  genuine  and  sincere. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  LAST  YEARS  OF  THE  COETUS. 

During  the  War  of  the  Revolution  the  Coetus  for  sev- 
eral years  failed  to  hold  its  annual  meeting,  on  account  of 
the  disturbed  state  of  the  country  ;  and  the  number  of  ex- 
tant historical  documents  dating  from  this  period  is  small. 
In  1775  the  Reformed  and  Lutherans  united  in  the  publi- 
cation of  an  appeal  to  the  German  citizens  of  New  York 
and  North  Carolina,  urging  them  to  support  the  measures 
of  Congress  and  the  cause  of  American  freedom.  In  this 
appeal  the  Germans  of  Pennsylvania  are  represented  as 
doing  everything  to  sustain  the  measures  of  Congress,  in 
organizing  militia  companies  and  corps  of  Yeagers  ready 
to  march  whenever  and  wherever  commanded.'  Several 
prominent  military  officers  were  members  of  the  Reformed 
Church ;  and  General  Nicholas  Herkimer,  "  the  hero  of 
Oriskany,"  belonged  to  an  old  Reformed  family  of  New 
York.  More  celebrated,  however,  is  Baron  Frederick 
William  von  Steuben,  who  was  very  decided  in  his  attach- 
ment to  the  Reformed  Church,  and  was,  after  the  war,  a 
ruling  elder  of  the  Nassau  Street  Church,  New  York. 
After  his  death  his  aide,  General  North,  erected  a  tablet 
to  his  memory  in  the  church  of  which  he  had  been  a 
member. 

1  Seidensticker's  "  First  Century  of  German  Printing,"  p.  91. 

2  The  Rev.  Abraham  Rosenkrantz,  pa.stor  of  the  Nassau  Street  Church, 
New  York,  was  his  brother-in-law. 

314 


PATRIOTIC  MINISTERS.  315 

The  ministers  connected  with  Coetus  appear  to  have 
been,  generally,  earnest  advocates  of  independence.  In 
their  official  communications  with  Holland  they  frequently 
speak  of  the  British  as  "  the  enemy  "  ;  and  days  of  fasting 
and  prayer  were  appointed  in  accordance  with  the  recom- 
mendations of  Congress.  On  some  the  pastors  chose 
texts  which  sufficiently  expressed  their  political  senti- 
ments. At  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  Rev.  John  H. 
Weikel  got  into  trouble  by  preaching  on  the  text,  "  Better 
is  a  poor  and  a  wise  child,  than  an  old  and  foolish  king, 
who  will  no  more  be  admonished."  Rev.  C.  D.Weyberg,  of 
Philadelphia,  was  imprisoned  for  his  patriotism,  and  his 
church  was  occupied  by  British  soldiers.  On  the  first  Sun- 
day after  his  liberation  he  preached  on  the  words,  "  O 
God,  the  heathen  are  come  into  thine  inheritance ;  thy 
holy  temple  have  they  defiled."  The  text  had  a  certain  ap- 
propriateness, for  the  church  had  been  greatly  injured  by 
the  British  occupation.  The  Re\'.  J.  C.  A.  Helfifenstein  was 
pastor  at  Lancaster  when  the  Hessian  prisoners  were 
kept  there,  and  it  frequently  became  his  duty  to  preach 
to  them.  "  On  one  occasion,"  says  Dr.  Harbaugh,  "  he 
preached  on  the  text,  'Ye  have  sold  yourselves  for  naught ; 
and  ye  shall  be  redeemed  without  money.'  Not  long 
afterward  he  chose  the  words,  '  If  the  Son  therefore  shall 
make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed,'  when  the  excite- 
ment became  so  great  that  it  was  deemed  prudent  to  accom- 
pany him  home  with  a  guard.  Once  he  preached  to  the 
American  soldiers,  on  their  departure  to  the  scene  of  conflict, 
from  the  words, '  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?' " 

Several  other  German  Reformed  ministers  are  entitled 
to  patriotic  honors.  Schlatter,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
imprisoned  for  his  sympathy  with  the  American  cause. 
Hendel  was  accompanied  by  armed  men  when  he  preached 
in  Lykens  Valley,  the  guards  standing  at  the  door  to  pro- 


3l6  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  x. 

tect  him  from  the  Indians,  who  had  become  hostile  through 
British  influence.  The  Rev.  John  Conrad  Bucher,  who 
had  been  a  military  officer  during  the  French  and  Indian 
War,  frequently  preached  to  the  soldiers  in  camp,  if  he 
was  not  a  regular  chaplain. 

That  there  were  some  ministers  and  members  who  took 
the  opposite  side  is  not  surprising.  We  have  already 
referred  to  the  unfortunate  fate  of  Dr.  Zubly,  and  can 
here  only  mention  the  Rev.  John  Michael  Kern,  of  New 
York,  who  was  hardly  less  eminent.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  Revolution  he  became  an  enthusiastic  loyalist,  believ- 
ing that  in  America  neither  church  nor  state  was  prepared 
for  independence.  He  emigrated  to  Nova  Scotia,  where 
he  remained  until  long  after  the  close  of  the  war.  In 
1788  he  removed  to  Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Bucks 
County,  where  he  died  in  the  same  year.  He  had  sacri- 
ficed his  all,  and,  poor  and  heart-sick,  he  came  to  lay  his 
bones  among  his  own  people. 

The  years  immediately  succeeding  the  Revolution  are 
not  historically  important.  The  members  of  the  Coetus, 
it  is  true,  occupied  a  position  which  for  local  dignity  and 
influence  has  never  been  ecjualed  in  the  history  of  the 
Reformed  Church.  There  were,  however,  few  signs  of 
growth  or  advancement.  Every  year  the  minister  received 
his  proportion  of  the  Holland  stipend,  amounting  to  nearly 
two  hundred  dollars ;  and  as  this  fact  was  well  known  the 
people  did  not  greatly  exert  themselves  to  contribute  to 
his  support. 

The  condition  of  the  church  was  peaceful,  but  there 
was  no  consciousness  of  a  special  mission.  The  connec- 
tion with  Holland,  which  had  been  at  first  a  blessing,  now 
became  a  burden.  It  was  perhaps  but  natural  that  some 
of  the  beneficiaries  of  the  stipend  should  desire  its  contin- 
uance ;  but  there  were  others  who  regarded  it  as  humiliat- 


REFORMED   AND   LUTHERANS.  317 

ing  to  remain  participants  of  a  foreign  charity.  As  early 
as  1 771,  when  the  Dutch  churches  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey  were  about  to  sever  tlieir  connection  with  Holland, 
they  invited  the  German  churches  to  unite  with  them  in 
the  formation  of  a  Synod ;  but  the  Coetus  declined  to 
enter  into  the  arrangement  on  the  ground  of  their  affec- 
tion for  the  fathers  in  Holland,  who  had  showed  them  so 
much  kindness.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  recent 
conflicts  in  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  between  the  Coe- 
tus and  the  Conferentie,  were  not  without  influence  in  lead- 
ing them  to  this  decision.  As  the  historical  identity  of 
the  two  branches  of  the  church  was  generally  recognized, 
it  is  possible  that  the  necessity  of  organic  unity  was  not 
fully  appreciated. 

The  relations  of  the  German  Reformed  and  Lutheran 
Churches  during  this  period  were  intimate  and  cordial. 
There  were  always  certain  peculiarities  of  ritual  and  ob- 
servance by  which  the  religious  services  of  the  two  churches 
were  distinguished,^  but  it  must  be  confessed  that  after  the 
first  generation  more  important  distinctions  became  very 
obscure. 

That  the  sentiment  of  the  church  in  Germany  was  very 
similar  is  sufficiently  evident.  The  movement  which  finally 
resulted  in  the  union  of  the  evangelical  churches  had  al- 
ready begun,  and  the  writers  of  the  period  were  disposed 
to  reduce  the  differences  between  the  churches  to  a  mini- 
mum.     Thus  we  find  Stilling  saying,  in  his  reply  to  Sul- 

1  "  If  a  Pennsylvania  farmer  had  at  this  time  been  asked  to  point  out  the 
difference  between  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Churches  he  would  probably 
have  said :  '  In  the  Lord's  Prayer  the  Reformed  say,  Unser  Vater,  and  the 
Lutherans  say,  Vatcr  unscr;  and  further  on  in  the  same  prayer  the  Lutherans 
say,  Erlosc  iins  von  dcm  Uehcl,  and  the  Reformed,  Erlose  mis  z'oti  dem  Boscii.'' 
He  might  also  have  referred  to  the  fact  that  the  Lutherans  generally  use  un- 
leavened bread  in  the  Lord's  Supper ;  and  if  particularly  well  instructed  he 
might  have  mentioned  the  variation  in  the  division  of  the  ten  commandments 
which  is  found  in  the  catechisqis  of  the  two  churches." — "  Historic  Man- 
ual," p.  264. 


3 1 8  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  x. 

zer ;!  "  You  know  very  well  that  the  Reformed  and  Luther- 
ans originally  differed  only  in  their  views  concerning  the 
Lord's  Supper  and  free  will,  and  that  these  differences 
have  now  passed  away ;  for  the  fact  that  the  Lutherans 
still  pray  Vater  miser,  and  use  unleavened  bread  in  the 
Lord's  Supper,  does  not  affect  the  unity  of  the  faith."  It 
appears,  therefore,  that  the  development  of  the  "  denomi- 
national consciousness  "  belongs  to  a  later  period. 

Union  churches  were  at  first  exceptional,  but  they  now 
became  very  numerous.  Indeed,  instances  were  not  rare 
when  the  denomination  which  was  first  in  the  field  freely 
presented  one  half  of  its  real  estate  to  a  newly  organized 
congregation  of  the  other  confession.  There  are  legends 
of  rivalry  and  dispossession,  it  is  true,  but  these  refer  to 
exceptional  conditions  and  generally  belong  to  an  earlier 
period.  As  a  general  thing  the  people  liked  the  arrange- 
ment. The  ministers  preached  alternately  to  what  was 
practically  the  same  congregation,  and  their  salaries  were 
paid  out  of  a  common  treasury.  There  is,  of  course,  a 
point  of  view  from  which  it  is  pleasant  to  see  two  congre- 
gations worshiping  harmoniously  in  the  same  church,  but 
experience  has  proved  that  this  arrangement  does  not  lead 
to  real  prosperity,  and  the  Synods  of  both  churches  have 
consequently  expressed  their  disapproval  of  the  continued 
erection  of  union  churches. 

In  some  instances,  where  both  congregations  were  weak 
and  poor,  a  single  pastor  was  called,  and  the  united  con- 
gregation was  known  as  "Evangelical"  or  "Protestant." 
These  congregations  became  the  special  prey  of  independ- 
ent vagrants,  and  many  of  them  were  finally  lost  to  the 
churches  which  they  originally  represented. 

In  1787  an  attempt  was  made  in  South  Carolina  to  es- 
tablish an  ecclesiastical  body,  which  was  officially  known 

1  "  Wiihrhcit  und  Licbe,"  p.  227. 


A    GERMAN  INSTITUriOX.  319 

as  Corpus  Evangeliciivi  or  Unio  Ecclesiastica.  It  consisted 
of  five  Lutheran  and  two  Reformed  ministers,  together  with 
delegates  from  fifteen  churches.  The  union  was  short- 
Hved  and  is  ^principally  interesting  as  anticipating  by  thirty 
years  the  Evangelical  Church  Union  of  Prussia,  which  is 
founded  on  similar  principles. ^ 

The  fraternal  intimacy  of  the  two  leading  German  de- 
nominations encouraged  their  most  prominent  men  to  en- 
gage in  an  important  educational  movement.  Hitherto  a 
few  young  men  had  been  instructed  in  advanced  studies 
by  Dr.  Helmuth,  in  Philadelphia,  and  by  Dr.  Gros,  in  New 
York ;  but  now  it  was  believed  that  the  time  had  come 
for  the  establishment  of  a  literary  institution  of  advanced 
grade. 

In  the  absence  of  direct  proof  it  is  impossible  to  say 
with  certainty  who  was  the  first  to  suggest  the  founding 
of  a  German  college.  It  is,  however,  plain  that  the  honor 
of  first  taking  active  measures  in  its  behalf  must  be  divided 
between  four  ministers :  the  Rev.  Drs.  Helmuth,  Weyberg, 
Hendel,  and  Muhlenberg  (the  younger).  Helmuth  and 
Weyberg  were  at  that  time  respectively  pastors  of  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  churches  of  Philadelphia,  and 
Muhlenberg  and  Hendel  of  those  of  Lancaster.  They 
were  men  of  great  ability  and  influence,  and  were  withal 
intimate  personal  friends.  Helmuth,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, expressed  his  afi'ection  for  Weyberg  in  a  beautiful 
poem  which,  in  later  years,  he  wrote  on  the  occasion  of 
his  death. 

There  is  abundant  evidence  that  these  eminent  men 
were  profoundly  grieved  by  the  low  state  of  education  and 
culture   among   the   people   in  whose   interest   they  were 

1  The  constitution  and  minutes  of  the  Corpus  Evangelicicm  were  translated 
l>y  Dr.  Hazelius,  and  appear  at  length  in  Bernheim's  "  History  of  the 
Lutheran  Churcli  in  the  Carolinas." 


320  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [ChaI'.  x. 

called  to  labor.  In  a  contemporary  document  Dr.  Wey- 
berg  exclaims:  "Is  there  no  hope  for  the  Germans  in 
America?  Must  they  forever  remain  mere  hewers  of 
wood  and  drawers  of  water?" 

In  the  work  of  founding  a  new  college  the  founders  se- 
cured the  cooperation  of  some  of  the  most  eminent  citi- 
zens of  Pennsylvania.  Benjamin  Franklin,  who  was  at 
that  time  the  president  of  the  Executive  Council  of  the 
State,  was  the  largest  individual  contributor  to  its  endow- 
ment. Amonp-  the  trustees  were  such  men  as  Thomas 
Mifflin,  Benjamin  Rush,  Thomas  McKean,  and  Peter 
Muhlenberg.  The  legislature  granted  the  college  ten 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  the  western  part  of  the  State, 
together  with  the  public  storehouse  cind  two  lots  of  ground 
in  the  borough  of  Lancaster. 

The  new  institution  was  opened  with  much  ceremony 
on  the  6th  of  June,  1787.  The  Lutheran  Ministerium 
and  the  Reformed  Coetus  were  both  in  session  in  Lancas- 
ter at  that  time,  and  this  fact  secured  the  attendance  of  a 
large  number  of  ministers.  Benjamin  Franklin  was  pres- 
ent,i  and  in  his  honor  the  new  institution  was  named 
Franklin  College. 

The  first  president  of  the  college  was  Dr.  Henry  Ernst 
Muhlenberg,  the  eminent  botanist,  who  was  at  that  time 
pastor  of  the  Lutheran  church  of  Lancaster;  and  the 
Reformed  pastor,  Dr.  Hendel,  served  as  vice-president. 
In  the  succeeding  year  the  presidency  was  accepted  by 
the  Rev.  F.  W.  Melsheimer,  an  eminent  scientist,  \vho  has 
been  called  the  "  father  of  American  entomology."  The 
faculty  was  well  chosen  and  there  were  many  students,  but 
the  institution  was  not  prosperous.      It  was  found  neces- 

1  Hector  St. -Jean  de  Crevccueur,  a  French  writer,  has  preserved  a  record  of 
this  fact  in  his  book  of  travels,  "  Voyage  dans  la  Haute  Fennsylvanie,"  in 
which  he  states  that  he  accompanied  the  venerable  Franklin  on  his  journey 
to  Lancaster  on  this  occasion. 


FRANKLIN  COLLEGE.  32  I 

sary  to  divide  the  college  into  two  departments,  which  in 
fact  became  rival  schools.  After  two  years  the  finances 
were  found  to  be  in  so  unfavorable  a  condition  that  the 
operations  of  the  college  were  greatly  contracted,  and 
Franklin  College  became,  at  best,  a  good  local  academy. 
The  comprehensive  plan  of  the  founders  had  proved  a 
failure. 

The  causes  of  this  disappointment,  though  somewhat 
complicated,  are  not  hard  to  determine.  It  now  appears 
evident  that  in  the  constitution  of  the  college  too  many 
interests  were  represented.  The  board  of  trustees  con- 
sisted, in  equal  numbers,  of  Lutherans,  Reformed,  and  a 
third  element  which  was  supposed  to  represent  the  "  outside 
community."  In  guarding  the  several  constituents  there 
were  rules  of  organization  which  rendered  the  board  almost 
unmanageable.  No  doubt  the  finances  were  badly  con- 
ducted. The  land  given  by  the  State  was  at  the  time 
utterly  unproductive,  and  it  was  not  until  rnany  years 
afterward  that  it  increased  sufficiently  in  value  to  furnish 
a  respectable  endowment  for  a  literary  institution  of  ad- 
vanced grade.  After  the  first  enthusiastic  effort  it  does 
not  appear  that  any  earnest  attempt  was  made  to  gather 
contributions,  though  the  papers  were  filled  with  appeals 
for  aid,  addressed  to  no  one  in  particular.  In  latter  days 
we  have  learned  that  this  is  not  the  way  to  secure  a  college 
endowment. 

That  there  were  disagreements  in  the  faculty  and  board 
of  trustees  is  painfully  apparent.  The  Germans  became 
convinced  that  an  efTort  was  to  be  made  to  Anglicize  them 
at  all  hazards.  At  the  formal  opening  of  the  college  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Hutchins — an  Episcopal  clergyman  who  had  been 
elected  a  member  of  the  faculty — delivered  an  address  in 
which  he  said :  "  As  the  limited  capacity  of  man  can  v^ery 
seldom  attain  excellence  in  more  than  one  language,  the 


322  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  x. 

study  of  English  will  consequently  demand  the  principal 
attention  of  your  children."  However  innocent  such 
utterances  may  now  appear  to  have  been,  it  should  be 
remembered  that  the  audience  was  chiefly  composed  of 
Germans  whose  chief  object  in  establishing  a  college  was 
to  do  honor  to  their  language  and  nationalit}^  Under  the 
circumstances  the  address  manifested  a  lamentable  want 
of  discretion,  and  may  have  suggested  the  remark  of  a 
contributor  to  a  Lancaster  paper  of  the  day  :i  "  The  Eng- 
lish and  Germans  cannot  work  together.  The  one  says 
Shibboleth,  the  other  Sibboleth." 

All  these  causes  no  doubt  contributed  to  the  same  un- 
fortunate result;  but  we  cannot  help  thinking  that  they 
might  in  time  have  been  overcome.  The  undertaking 
was  perhaps  begun  on  too  large  a  scale  for  the  time  and 
place;  but,  above  all,  the  promoters  failed  to  recognize 
the  fact  that  such  a  work  requires  time  and  patience. 
They  evidently  expected  the  entire  German  community 
to  share  in  their  enthusiasm,  and  were  grievously  disap- 
pointed when  they  were  left  to  struggle  alone.  Yet  we 
cannot  help  feeling  that  if  time  had  been  allowed  for 
organic  growth  the  work  might  even  then  have  proved 
successful. 

During  all  these  years  the  connection  with  Holland  re- 
mained unbroken.  That  the  Dutch  Synods  were  faithful 
to  their  trust  cannot  be  doubted  ;  but  they  had  little  actual 
knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  the  church  in  a  new 
country,  and  clung  tenaciously  to  ancient  precedents.  In 
America  the  demand  for  ministers  far  exceeded  the  sup- 
ply;  but  it  was  under  many  restrictions  and  by  special 
permission  only  that  the  Coetus  was  permitted  to  admit 
new  members.  As  early  as  1772,  however,  it  assumed 
the  authority  of  administering  the  rite  of  ordination.  In 
1  "  Lancister  Unparthcyische  Zeitung,"  October  5,  1787. 


SEPARATION  FROM  HOLLAND. 


323 


that  year  Casper  Wack,  who  had  been  carefully  instructed 
by  Dr.  Weyberg,  was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  having 
been  licensed  to  preach  two  years  earlier.  He  was  a 
most  excellent  man,  and  subsequently  became  a  leader  of 
the  church ;  but  his  ordination  was  in  Holland  regarded 
as  a  dangerous  innovation.  Several  other  young  men 
were  ordained  in  subsequent  years,  and  in  1791  the  Coetus 
took  the  following  action  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Coetus  has  the  right  at  all  times  to 
examine  and  ordain  those  who  offer  themselves  as  candi- 
dates for  the  ministry,  without  asking  or  waiting  for  per- 
mission to  do  so  from  the  fathers  in  Holland." 

At  the  same  meetingit  was  resolved  to  continue  to  send  to 
Holland  "a  report  of  the  proceedings,  accompanied  by  a  suit- 
able explanation,  as  may  be  necessary."  This  was  equiv- 
alent to  a  declaration  of  independence,  as  the  proceedings 
were  to  be  sent  merely  as  a  matter  of  courtesy  and  not 
for  revision.  To  take  this  action  demanded  some  courage 
and  self-denial,  for  it  involved  a  renunciation  of  the  Hol- 
land stipend,  on  which  the  ministers  had  greatly  depended 
for  financial  support.  Having  taken  the  first  step,  the 
Coetus,  however,  did  not  hesitate  to  take  the  second.  In 
1792  Domines  Pomp  and  Hendel  were  directed  to  prepare 
a  Synodical  constitution.  To  the  letters  sent  to  Holland 
no  answer  was  returned  ;  and  in  the  succeeding  year  the 
Synod  held  its  first  meeting  at  Lancaster,  where,  by  the 
adoption  of  the  "  Synodalordnung,"  it  became  an  inde- 
pendent body. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

THE    SYNOD, 

The  Synod  of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  which 
convened  for  the  first  time  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  on  the  27th 
of  April,  I  793,  was  by  no  means  a  large  or  imposing  body. 
Thirteen  ministers  were  present  and  nine  are  recorded  as 
absent.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  number  of  ab- 
sentees was  actually  greater  than  appears  on  the  minutes. 
There  are  no  extant  statistics,  but  by  piecing  together  the 
reports  of  earlier  and  later  years  it  is  possible  to  construct 
a  table  which  may  be  presumed  to  be  approximately  cor- 
rect. In  these  early  reports  the  number  of  families  alone 
is  given,  but  we  may  safely  estimate  three  communicants 
to  every  family.  From  a  statistical  table  constructed  in 
this  way  it  appears  that  the  Synod  numbered  in  1 793 
about  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  congregations  and 
fifteen  thousand  communicants.  Of  the  congregations  at 
least  fifty-five  were  vacant.  The  number  of  adherents 
possibly  exceeded  forty  thousand. 

Taking  a  bird's-eye  view  of  our  earliest  Synod  we  find 
that  its  churches  were  scattered  through  a  region  extend- 
ing from  the  city  of  New  York  and  northern  New  Jersey, 
through  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  to  the  valley  of  Vir- 
ginia, with  several  outlying  congregations  west  of  the 
Alleghanies. 

The  most  important  congregations  in  the  Synod  were 

324 


THE    CHURCHES.  325 

those  of  Philadelphia  and  Lancaster,  whose  pastors — 
Winckhaus  and  Hendel — were  by  common  consent  rec- 
ognized as  the  leaders  of  the  Synod.  Next  in  importance 
were  probably  the  churches  at  Germantown,  Pa.,  and  Frede- 
rick, Md.  The  Baltimore  churches,  as  we  have  seen,  had 
been  engaged  in  a  controversy  which  greatly  limited  their 
influence.  In  New  York  the  celebrated  Dr.  Gros  was  still 
pastor  of  the  Nassau  Street  Church  ;  but  he  was  advanced 
in  years,  and  his  name  does  not  appear  on  the  roll  of 
Synod.  In  1796  this  church,  which  was  probably  sus- 
pected of  a  tendency  to  independence,  was  by  special 
action  required  to  signify  its  approval  of  the  constitution. 
The  chief  numerical  strength  of  the  church  was  still  to  be 
found  in  its  earliest  settlements,  between  the  Delaware  and 
Schuylkill  rivers,  though  there  were  important  charges 
farther  west.  Beyond  the  Alleghanies  the  only  settled 
pastor  was  the  Rev.  John  William  Weber,  who  founded 
many  churches  in  Westmoreland,  Fayette,  and  Armstrong 
counties,  and  was  the  first  minister  of  any  denomination 
to  organize  a  congregation  in  Pittsburg.^ 

Beyond  these  limits  there  was  a  terra  incognita  which 
the  Synod  in  a  vague  way  claimed  as  its  missionary 
ground.  As  late  as  18 18  the  following  note  is  attached 
to  the  statistical  report  in  the  minutes  of  the  Synod : 
"  There  is  a  great  number  of  vacant  churches  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, Ohio,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and  South  Carolina, 
and  also  several  in  the  western  part  of  New  York,  con- 
cerning which  we  have  no  certain  information."  In  Vir- 
ginia Bernard  F.  Willy  labored  independently ;  and  as 
early  as  1 789  Andrew  F.  Loretz  had  been  sent  by  the 
Coetus   to   North  Carolina,  where  he  did   excellent  work 

1  This  congregation  still  exists  as  an  independent  German  congregation. 
It  is  officially  known  as  the  First  German  United  Evangelical-Protestant 
Church  of  Pittsburg. 


326  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  xi. 

in  saving  the  things  which  were  ready  to  die.  Vacant 
churches  from  Nova  Scotia  to  South  CaroHna  called  on 
the  Synod  to  supply  them  with  pastors,  but  there  were 
none  to  send.  It  may  at  this  place  be  of  some  interest  to 
mention  some  of  the  localities  which  appealed  so  earnestly 
for  aid. 

Far  to  the  north,  in  the  British  province  of  Nova  Scotia, 
there  was  a  considerable  German  settlement.  It  had  been 
founded  in  1753  and  was  about  equally  composed  of  Re- 
formed and  Lutherans.  Brilliant  promises  had  been  made 
to  the  first  settlers  by  the  government,  but  they  were  not 
kept,  and  in  1754  there  was  a  German  revolt,  which  was 
promptly  suppressed.^  The  Lutherans  soon  secured  pas- 
tors, but  the  Reformed  were  not  so  fortunate.  As  early 
as  1772  the  congregation  at  Lunenburg  appealed  to  the 
Coetus  to  send  them  a  minister.  Their  application  was 
unsuccessful,  and,  despairing  of  obtaining  a  pastor  in  any 
other  way,  they  chose  a  pious  fisherman  named  Bruin 
Romcas  Comingoe  —  commonly  called  Brown — who  was 
ordained  by  a  council  of  two  Presbyterian  and  two  Con- 
gregational ministers.  He  labored  faithfully  until  1818, 
always  hoping  to  be  relieved  by  an  educated  minister  of 
his  own  church.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Moschell,  who  came  directly  from  Germany.  After  the 
resignation  of  the  latter,  in  1837,  the  Reformed  churches  of 
Lunenburg  Count)^,  Nova  Scotia — now  six  in  number — 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Another  of  the  neglected  outposts  was  Waldoborough, 
in  the  State  of  Maine.  At  this  place  a  German  settle- 
ment had  been  founded  as  early  as  1 740.  The  Luther- 
ans and  Reformed  had  built  a  union  church,  and  as 
the  Reformed  were  in  the  minority  it  was  for  many 
years  served  by  Lutheran  pastors,  who  administered  the 
1  "  Gentleman's  Magazine,"  vol.  xxiv.,  p.  19a 


THE  LOST  CHURCHES.  327 

communion  to  the  Reformed  members  according  to  the 
form  which  they  preferred.  German  services  were  main- 
tained until  1850,  but  the  young  folks  grew  up  English, 
and  finally  the  whole  congregation  passed  over  to  the 
Congregationalists.  ^ 

At  almost  every  meeting  of  Synod  there  was  an  appeal 
for  pastors  from  the  German  churches  of  the  State  of  New 
York.  These  churches  would  cheerfully  have  placed  them- 
selves under  the  care  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  but 
that  body  was  not  prepared  to  supply  them  with  German 
preaching.  In  a  letter  to  the  German  Synod  in  1803 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Livingston  acknowledged  this  fact,  and  ur- 
gently pleaded  for  pastors  to  be  sent  to  the  vacant  Ger- 
man churches ;  but  nothing  could  be  done.  A  few  aged 
German  ministers  continued  to  labor  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Hudson  and  the  Mohawk,  but  when  they  passed  away 
their  places  were  occupied  by  ministers  of  other  churches. 
German  Reformed  churches  have  since  been  founded  in 
New  England  and  New  York,  but,  with  one  or  two  ex- 
ceptions, they  are  derived  from  comparatively  recent  im- 
migration. 

In  New  Jersey  disintegration  proceeded  even  more  rap- 
idly than  in  New  York.  The  churches  had  become  Eng- 
lish and  were  inadequately  supplied  with  preaching  in  the 
language  which  they  preferred.  Casper  Wack  preached 
in  the  churches  of  the  German  Valley  until  1809,  but  after 
his  resignation  the  congregations  at  Lebanon  and  Fox  Hill, 
in  181 5,  notwithstanding  the  protest  of  the  Synod,  passed 
over  to  the  Presbyterians.  In  the  same  year  the  congre- 
gation at  Rockaway  was  regularly  dismissed  by  Synod  to 
the  Reformed  Dutch  Church.  The  old  church  at  Am  well, 
Hunterdon  County,  remained  in  connection  with  the  Re- 

1  A  very  interesting  account  of  this  settlement  appears  in  successive  num- 
bers of  the  "  Deutsche  Pionier." 


328  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERJMAN.      [Chap.  xi. 

formed  Synod  until  i8i8,  but  then  became  Presbyterian. 
The  church  in  Warren  County,  popularly  known  as  the 
"  Straw  "  Church,  was  for  a  time  supplied  from  Easton,  Pa. 
It  was,  however,  a  union  church,  and  after  a  few  years  the 
Reformed  congregation  disbanded  and  the  church  became 
entirely  Lutheran. 

In  the  South  the  condition  of  the  Reformed  churches 
was  very  discouraging.  In  Virginia,  during  the  colonial 
period,  many  congregations  had  conformed  to  the  Episco- 
pal Church  "as  by  law  established,"  and  at  a  later  date 
others  were  carried  away  by  the  movement  which  Otter- 
bein  helped  to  inaugurate.  At  one  time  it  seemed  as  if 
the  Reformed  Church  in  all  that  region  was  about  to  be- 
come extinct;  but  after  1800  the  Rev.  John  Brown  was 
settled  there,  and  it  is  to  his  self-denying  labors  that  the 
preservation  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  valley  of  Vir- 
ginia is  chiefly  due.  For  many  years  he  was  the  only 
Reformed  minister  in  that  State,  except  the  pastor  of  the 
Shepherdstown  charge. 

To  extend  our  view  over  the  entire  Southern  field  would 
require  more  space  than  we  can  command.  It  may  be  said, 
in  a  general  way,  that  though  the  Reformed  Church  has  a 
prosperous  Classis  in  the  central  part  of  North  Carolina,  it 
no  longer  holds  its  earliest  settlements  in  that  State.  In 
New  Berne,  for  instance,  which  was  founded  by  Swiss  peo- 
ple as  early  as  1 7 10,  not  a  trace  of  the  Reformed  Church  re- 
mains. The  present  membership  of  the  Reformed  churches 
in  North  Carolina  is  chiefly  composed  of  the  descendants 
of  people  who  removed  to  that  State  from  Pennsylvania 
about  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  Until  after  Bouquet's 
expedition  in  1756,  it  is  well  known,  the  country  west  of 
the  Alleghanies  was  not  open  to  settlement  and  the  course 
of  emigration  was  southward.  The  settlement  in  North 
Carolina  was  large  and  compact,  so  that  at  one  time,  it  is 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  329 

said,  in  extensive  districts  even  the  negroes  spoke  Penn- 
sylvania German.  It  was  difficult  to  maintain  these  con- 
gregations, so  far  away  from  the  ecclesiastical  center ;  but 
through  the  labors  of  such  men  as  Andrew  Loretz  and 
George  Boger  they  were  kept  alive  until  the  church  was 
better  prepared  to  supply  their  wants. 

In  South  Carolina,  and  farther  south,  most  of  the  pio- 
neers had  come  directly  from  the  fatherland,  and  there 
was  little  direct  communication  with  the  church  in  Penn- 
sylvania. From  1739  until  about  1775  the  Rev.  Christian 
Theus  was  pastor  of  Reformed  churches  on  the  Congaree. 
He  is  often  mentioned  in  the  annals  of  the  times,  and  was 
undoubtedly  an  excellent  man.  During  his  pastorate  he 
was  brought  into  conflict  with  a  fanatical  sect  known  as 
the  Weberites,  by  whose  extravagances  the  work  among 
the  Germans  was  greatly  discredited.^  We  have  already 
referred  to  the  attempted  union  with  the  Lutherans, 
known  as  the  Corpus  Evangclicmn.  After  the  death  of 
Theus  the  South  Carolina  churches  were  for  many  years 
vacant,  or  supplied  by  unauthorized  itinerants,  until  at 
last,  in  1 8 14,  the  Synod  was  induced  to  license  William 
Hauck,  who  for  some  years  supplied  eight  churches  situ- 
ated in  the  "  Forks "  between  the  Broad  and  Saluda 
rivers.  He  was  entirely  uneducated  and  was  otherwise 
unfitted  for  the  place.  In  1736  he  was  suspended  from 
the  ministry.  He  had,  however,  previously  removed  to 
North  Carolina,  and  finally  concluded  his  course  in  Cape 
Girardeau  County,  Mo.  With  him  the  Reformed  churches 
of  South  Carolina  ceased  to  exist. 

In  the  early  minutes  of  the  Synod  there  are  frequent 
references  to  churches  on  the  French  Broad  River  in 
Tennessee  and  in  Kentucky.  Concerning  these  churches 
we  have  no  certain  knowledge.     We  have  reason  to  sup- 

1  Bernheim,  p.  203. 


330  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERM  AX.      [Chap.  xi. 

pose  that  they  were  "  union  "  churches  in  the  broadest 
sense,  which  were  never  in  full  communion  with  the  Re- 
formed Church. 

From  this  general  view  of  the  condition  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  we  can  form  some  conception  of  the  diffi- 
culties which  confronted  the  Synod  at  the  time  of  its 
organization.  Except  in  the  oldest  settlements  in  Penn- 
sylvania there  were  no  evidences  of  prosperity.  Indeed, 
it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  thirty  years  passed  away 
before  the  fruits  of  independent  life  began  to  appear. 
There  were  none  of  the  institutions  which  are  now  re- 
garded as  essential  to  success  in  the  work  of  the  church, 
except  a  Fund  for  the  Relief  of  the  Widows  of  Deceased 
Ministers,  and  this  fund  was  so  small  that  it  was  of  little 
importance.  There  was  no  literary  or  theological  institu- 
tion, no  board  of  missions,  no  church  paper.  The  church 
was  clamoring  for  pastors ;  but  the  supply  of  educated 
ministers  from  Europe  was  cut  off,  and,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  or  three  who  had  been  educated  in  the  insti- 
tutions of  other  churches,  there  were  no  candidates  who 
were  properly  qualified  to  assume  the  sacred  office.  From 
this  point  of  view  there  is  hardly  a  period  in  the  history 
of  the  Reformed  Church  which  is  more  discouraging  than 
the  one  which  extends  from  1793  to  1825. 

The  most  important  act  of  the  Synod  of  i  793  was  the 
adoption  of  the  "  Synodalordnung,"  or  Rules  of  Synod. 
In  the  preamble  to  this  document  it  is  said  to  have  been 
established  by  "  all  the  Evangelical  Reformed  churches 
of  Pennsylvania  and  certain  neighboring  States  "  ;  but  in 
the  first  article  it  is  declared  that  the  body  which  has 
hitherto  been  known  as  the  Coetus  of  Pennsylvania  shall 
hereafter  be  entitled  the  "  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Ger- 
man Church  in  the  United  States  of  America."  Some  of 
the  rules  then  adopted  have  become  obsolete,  but  others 


RULES   OF  SYNOD.  33  I 

are  found  in  the  present  constitution  of  the  church.  Min- 
isters who  had  been  sent  to  America  by  the  Synods  of 
Holland,  or  who  might  hereafter  be  sent,  were  entitled  to 
membership ;  those  who  came  from  other  parts  of  Europe 
were  required  to  present  certificates  of  ordination  and  testi- 
monials of  good  conduct.  For  one  year  all  ministers  re- 
ceived from  a  foreign  country  remained  honorary  mem- 
bers, without  a  seat  or  vote.  Candidates  for  the  ministry 
were  required  to  be  well  grounded  in  the  ancient  lan- 
guages, except  in  special  cases  when  the  applicant  was 
more  than  twenty- five  years  of  age  and  was  otherwise 
well  qualified  for  the  office.  Delegated  elders  were  then, 
as  now,  entitled  to  a  seat  and  vote  in  Synod,  except  that 
elders  representing  vacant  charges  had  no  vote.  The 
powers  of  the  president  were  carefully  guarded,  but  he 
seems  to  have  been  a  more  influential  personage  than  he 
is  at  present.  It  was  not  only  made  his  duty  to  repri- 
mand delinquents,  but  under  certain  circumstances  to  sus- 
pend them  from  office  until  the  next  meeting  of  Synod. 
Pastors  were  required  to  present  annual  reports  of  their 
ministry,  which  were  read  in  open  Synod ;  and  the  elders 
were  then  questioned,  not  only  formally,  but  minutely. 
At  every  session  of  the  Synod  a  private  meeting  was  to 
be  held,  at  which  the  orthodoxy  of  the  sermons  which  had 
been  preached  during  the  convention  was  discussed,  and 
private  difficulties  between  the  members  considered  and 
settled.  . 

In  1800  an  additional  series  of  rules  was  adopted,  by 
which  the  Synod  was  made  to  consist  of  ordained  minis- 
ters, licentiates,  and  catechists.  Catechists,  like  licentiates 
of  the  present  day,  were  not  permitted  to  administer  the 
sacraments.  They  were  frequently  directed  to  supply 
vacant  congregations,  but  were  kept  under  strict  supervis- 
ion and  might  at  any  time  be  discharged.      They  were, 


332  THE  KEFORAIED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  xi. 

in  fact,  candidates  for  the  ministry,  who  looked  forward 
to  promotion.  Licentiates  were  authorized  to  administer 
the  sacraments  and  cotdd  serve  congregations ;  but  their 
license  was  annually  renewed,  and  at  the  meetings  of 
Synod  they  were  literally  required  to  occupy  back  seats. 
While  they  remained  licentiates  they  could  withdraw  from 
the  ministry  without  incurring  censure ;  but  after  a  min- 
ister had  received  ordination  it  was  universally  held  that 
he  was  bound  to  continue  in  the  work  until  the  end  of  his 
life.  The  constitution  as  a  whole  referred  to  the  ministry 
alone.  The  time  for  a  general  constitution  for  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  the  United  States  had  not  yet  come. 

The  next  important  undertaking  of  the  new  Synod  was 
the  preparation  of  a  hymn-book.  The  book  which  had 
been  hitherto  in  use  was  known  as  the  "  Marburg,"  from 
the  place  of  its  original  publication  in  Germany.  It  had 
been  several  times  reprinted  by  Christopher  Saur,  of  Ger- 
mantown,  and  was  in  this  form  regarded  as  one  of  the 
finest  examples  of  the  typography  of  that  celebrated 
printer.  Besides  the  Psalms  and  Hymns,  it  contained  the 
Heidelberg  Catechism,  Morning  and  Evening  Prayers, 
Gospel  and  Epistle  Lessons,  and  an  account  of  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem. 

Though  Saur's  publication  had  evidently  been  a  private 
.speculation  it  was  extensively  used  in  the  churches ;  but 
during  the  Revolution  the  publishing  house  was  broken 
up,  and  the  book  became  scarce.  The  style  of  Lobwas- 
ser's  version  of  the  Psalms  had,  moreover,  become  anti- 
quated, and  many  stanzas  were  no  longer  sung.  The 
Synod,  therefore,  in  1793  adopted  the  following  resolu- 
tion : 

"  Resolved,  That  a  hymn-book  be  prepared,  of  which 
the  psalms  shall  be  taken  from  Lobwasser  and  Spreng's 
improved   version,    and    that   the    Palatinate    hymn-book 


SIGNS   OF  FROGHESS.  333 

shall  form  the  basis  of  the  hymns,  with  this  difference 
only :  that  some  unintelligible  hymns  be  exchanged  for 
better  ones." 

The  committee  on  the  hymn-book  consisted  of  Domines 
Hendel,  Helffrich,  Blumer,  Wagner,  Pauli,  and  Mann.  Dr. 
Hendel  was,  however,  so  prominent  in  the  work  that  the 
resultant  volume  was  often  called  "  Hendel's  hymn-book." 
It  was  actually  a  new  collection,  and,  considering  the 
times,  was  a  very  creditable  production.  The  preface 
says :  "  We  have  chosen  the  most  edifying  and  best- 
known  hymns  in  the  Marburg  and  Palatinate  hymn- 
books,  composed  by  Joachim  Neander,  Friedrich  Adolph 
Lampe,  Casper  Zollikofer,  and  other  godly  men  among 
the  Protestants.  To  these  we  have  added  a  number  of 
edifying  spiritual  songs  taken  from  hymn-books  recently 
published  in  various  parts  of  Germany.  The  meters  are 
arranged  throughout  according  to  the  Palatinate  hymn- 
book."  It  was  perhaps  an  advantage  that  the  collection 
followed  an  earlier  model,  as  it  thus  in  great  measure 
escaped  from  the  rationalism  which  was  then  current  in 
Germany. 

The  Heidelberg  Catechism  had  been  so  frequently  re- 
printed in  America  that  at  this  time  no  new  edition  appears 
to  have  been  demanded.  A  reprint  was,  however,  issued 
in  1 795  by  Steiner  &  Kammerer,  of  Philadelphia.  The 
first  edition  published  in  Pennsylvania  in  the  English 
language  bears  the  imprint  of  Starck  &  Lange,  Han- 
over, Pa.,  1 8 10. 

Though  the  organization  of  the  Synod  was  attended 
by  many  discouragements,  it  was  not  without  encour- 
aging features.  At  the  first  meeting  William  Hendel,  Jr., 
a  son  of  the  Lancaster  pastor,  was  ordained.  He  had 
been  graduated  at  Columbia  College,  New  York,  and 
had  been  instructed  in  theology  by  Drs.  Gros  and   Liv- 


334  ^-^^^  REFORMED   CHURCH,  GERMAN.      [Chap.  xi. 

ingston.  He  was  a  man  of  ability  and  culture,  who  re- 
mained faithful  to  the  church  in  the  most  trying  period  of 
its  history.  In  1 794  Dr.  Gros  presented  for  examina- 
tion, licensure,  and  ordination  his  favorite  pupil,  Philip 
Milledoler,  also  a  graduate  of  Columbia  College,  who  was 
in  later  life  equally  revered  in  the  German  and  Dutch 
churches,  and  was  for  some  time  regarded  as  a  personal 
bond  of  union  between  them.  At  the  same  meeting 
Christian  L.  Becker,  John  Henry  Hoffmeier,  and  Lebrecht 
L.  Hinsch  were  received  from  Germany ;  and  John  Go- 
brecht,  a  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Christopher  Gobrecht,  of 
Hanover,  and  George  Geistweit,  who  had  been  prepared 
by  Dr.  F.  L.  Herman,  were  admitted  to  the  ministry. 
These  men  infused  new  life  into  the  organization,  and 
soon  shared  with  the  most  eminent  surviving  members  of 
the  Coetus  in  the  dignity  of  leadership. 

Pastors  now  began  to  instruct  candidates  for  the  minis- 
try. They  were  no  doubt  actuated  by  a  laudable  desire 
to  supply  the  pressing  wants  of  the  church,  but  it  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  in  many  instances  the  instruction 
conveyed  was  very  unsatisfactory.  The  candidates  had 
little  preparatory  training,  and  the  preceptors  were  ordi- 
narily already  burdened  with  pastoral  labor.  Drs.  Helf- 
fenstein  and  Herman,  and  possibly  a  few  others,  who  in- 
structed many  students,  conducted  a  regular  course  of 
instruction  in  the  classic  languages  as  well  as  in  theology ; 
but  in  some  instances  the  sole  privilege  of  the  candidate 
was  to  read  such  books  in  his  preceptor's  library  as  hap- 
pened to  please  him,  and  to  preach  on  Sunday  in  some 
outlying  congregation.  In  dogmatic  theology  the  writ- 
ings of  Stapfer  and  Mursina  were  regarded  as  certain 
guides,  and  in  church  history  Mosheim  was  an  infallible 
authority.  The  length  of  the  period  of  instruction  had 
not  been  determined,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  can- 


WESTERN  PIONEERS.  335 

didates  were  admitted  to  the  ministry  whose  preparation 
was  of  the  sHghtest. 

The  immediate  results  of  private  theological  instruction 
were  encouraging.  There  was  a  rapid  increase  in  the 
number  of  ministers,  and  charges  which  had  long  been 
vacant  were  once  more  supplied  with  the  means  of  grace. 
In  some  instances,  no  doubt,  the  ministers  who  had  sprung 
directly  from  the  people  were  more  familiar  with  their  re- 
quirements than  the  more  learned  pastors  of  an  earlier 
day.  Sons  of  ministers  frequently  presented  them.selves 
for  ordination,  and  as  they  were  unusually  intelligent  they 
naturally  became  men  of  influence.  Among  these,  be- 
sides those  already  mentioned,  we  may  name  Samuel 
Weyberg,  Thomas  Pomp,  John  T.  Faber,  Jr.,  John  Helf- 
frich,  and  the  younger  Wacks  and  Helffensteins. 

Reformed  ministers  now  began  to  explore  the  great 
West.  Samuel  Weyberg  was  a  great  traveler.  After 
laboring  in  North  Carolina  for  ten  years  he  removed  to 
Missouri,  and  in  1803  preached,  in  Cape  Girardeau  County, 
the  first  sermon  delivered  by  a  Protestant  minister  west  of 
the  Mississippi  River.^  In  the  same  year  the  Rev.  Jacob 
Christman  began  to  preach  in  Warren  County,  O.  In  the 
following  year  that  truly  apostolic  man,  the  Rev.  John 
Jacob  la  Rose,  removed  from  Guilford  County,  N.  C, 
to  Montgomery  County,  O.,  and,  engaging  extensively  in 
missionary  journeys,  founded  many  churches  in  Ohio,  In- 
diana, and  Kentucky.  Before  1825  thirteen  Reformed 
ministers  had  settled  west  of  the  Alleghanies. 

As  early  as  1793  the  Synod  had  suggested  that  when- 
ever a  number  of  ministers — not  less  than  three — resided 
at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  center  of  the  church  as  to 
render  it  inconvenient  to  attend  the  meetings  of  Synod,  it 
was  competent  for  them  to  organize  a  Classis,  to  be  rep- 

1  Harbaugh's  "  Lives,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  46. 


336  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.      [Chap.  xi. 

resented  in  Synod  by  one  or  more  delegates.  It  does 
not  appear  that  this  suggestion  was  accepted,  but  in 
1 8 19  the  Synod  divided  itself  into  eight  districts  or 
Classes.  Their  first  meeting  was  held  on  the  fourth 
Sunday  after  Easter,  1820.  These  Classes  possessed  local 
jurisdiction,  in  due  subordination  to  the  Synod,  and  at 
their  annual  meetings  elected  the  delegates  of  which  the 
Synod  was  composed.  The  Synod,  however,  reserved 
the  right  of  calling  all  its  members  to  meet  in  general  con- 
vention whenever  it  deemed  it  advisable  to  do  so,  and  for 
some  years  it  refused  to  grant  to  the  Classes  the  privilege 
of  conferring  the  rite  of  ordination. 

With  the  establishment  of  the  Classis  the  organization 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  this  country  was 
completed.  If  the  Reformed  Church  owes  its  Synods  to 
ZwingH,  the  Classes  are  derived  from  Calvin  and  the 
church  of  France.  They  were  introduced  into  Holland 
and  the  Rhine  Provinces  of  Germany  at  least  as  early  as 
1571,  and,  whether  known  as  Classes  or  Presbyteries,  have 
everywhere  been  recognized  as  of  fundamental  importance 
to  the  Reformed  system  of  government.  Their  introduc- 
tion into  the  German  Reformed  Church  of  this  country, 
therefore,  appropriately  marks  the  time  of  its  awakening 
to  the  nature  of  its  mission,  and  of  an  earnest  determina- 
tion to  labor  for  its  accomplishment. 

It  is  only  by  taking  a  position  at  the  end  of  this  period 
and  looking  backward  that  we  become  convinced  that 
there  was  real  progress.  The  statistics  for  1825  are  excep- 
tionally incomplete ;  but  by  filling  out  the  blanks  from  the 
reports  of  the  date  in  question  it  appears  that  the  number 
of  ministers  had  increased  from  twenty-two  to  eighty- 
seven,  not  to  mention  nine  pastors  who  belonged  to  a 
schismatic  Synod.  The  number  of  communicants  con- 
nected with  the  mother  Synod  was  23,291.     As  the  Classis 


MEMBERSHIP.  337 

of  Western  Pennsylvania,  with  thirteen  ministers  and  about 
eighty  congregations,  had  in  the  previous  year  resolved 
itself  into  the  Synod  of  Ohio,  it  may  perhaps  be  taken 
forgranted  that  between  1793  and  1825  the  membership 
of  the  church  had  more  than  doubled. 

These  statistics  appear  to  indicate  an  encouraging  de- 
gree of  prosperity  ;  but  the  progress  of  the  church  was, 
unfortunately,  more  apparent  than  real.  Important  prob- 
lems remained  unsolved,  and  it  was  by  no  means  certain 
that  with  a  ministry  so  imperfectly  educated  the  church 
could  permanently  maintain  its  position.  We  are  there- 
fore not  surprised  to  learn  from  the  correspondence  of  the 
times  that,  notwithstanding  rapid  increase  in  numbers,  the 
most  eminent  men  were  oppressed  with  forebodings  of 
approaching  danger. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

DIFFICULT    PROBLEMS. 

Until  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the  church 
had  remained  ahnost  entirely  German.  Individual  minis- 
ters had,  indeed,  conducted  religious  service  in  the  Eng- 
lish language,  but  the  fact  had  not  attracted  general  atten- 
tion. Schlatter  preached  in  English  when  he  served  as  a 
chaplain  in  the  British  army ;  and  Zubly,  who  had  learned 
the  language  in  early  youth,  employed  it  regularly  in 
public  worship  at  Savannah  long  before  the  Revolution. ^ 
Casper  Wack  preached  in  English  in  New  Jersey  as  early  as 
1782,  and  a  few  years  later  Dr.  F.  L.  Herman  conducted 
an  English  service  at  Germantown  on  every  alternate 
Sunday.  Others,  no  doubt,  there  were  who  occasion- 
ally delivered  discourses  in  what  they  fondly  supposed 
to  be  English  ;  but  the  fact  was  probably  regarded  by 
their  brethren  as  a  bit  of  pardonable  eccentricity,  like 
that  of  those  of  their  number  who  occasionally  allowed 
themselves  to  be  persuaded  to  address  a  little  company 
of  Huguenots  in  doubtful  French."-^ 

It  was  not    until  the   year    1804   that  the  Synod  was 

1  In  1756  Dr.  Zubly  published  "The  Real  Christian's  Hope  in  Death," 
the  earliest  English  publication  by  a  German  Reformed  minister. 

2  Dr.  Zubly,  as  we  have  seen,  preached  regularly  in  French,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  a  master  of  the  language.  Pastor  C.  L.  Boehme,  of  Lancaster, 
preached  .at  least  one  French  sermon  in  Philadelphia  in  May,  I774>  '^^^^  ^^ 
the  same  year  the  French  Reformed  church  of  New  York  extended  a  call  to 
the  Rev.  Abraham  Dlumer,  of  Allentown,  Pa.  In  his  letter  of  declination, 
written  in  French,  the  latter  confesses  that,  in  consequence  of  lack  of  practice 
in  conversation,  he  is  no  longer  sufticiently  fluent  in  that  language  to  serve 
acceptably  as  pastor  of  a  French  congregation. 

338 


ENGLISH  PREACHING.  339 

'officially  informed  that  the  proposed  use  of  the  English 
language  in  public  worship  had  led  to  a  serious  conflict  in 
the  church  in  Philadelphia.  The  Synod  adopted  a  non- 
committal resolution,  admonishing  the  contestants  to  keep 
the  peace,  and  no  doubt  supposed  that  it  had  in  this  way 
disposed  of  a  disagreeable  question.  Next  year,  however, 
the  question  came  up  again  in  a  more  threatening  form, 
and  it  was  resolved  "  that  the  English  portion  of  the  con- 
gregation be  permitted  to  have  at  times  services  in  the 
English  language  by  a  German  minister  of  our  Synod,  or 
by  an  English  one,  upon  the  condition,  however,  that  no 
minister  not  connected  with  a  Presbyterian  Synod  be  per- 
mitted to  enter  the  pulpit,  and  not  without  the  consent  of 
the  German  minister."  This  decision  proved  unsatisfac- 
tory to  both  parties. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Germans  have  in  this  country 
been  too  slow  in  accommodating  themselves  to  new  con- 
ditions ;  and  their  ministers  have  been  greatly  blamed  for 
not  encouraging  the  use  of  the  English  language  in  the 
service  of  the  church.  The  imputation  may  not  be  entirely 
undeserved,  but  possibly  if  we  were  familiar  with  all  the 
circumstances  our  judgment  might  not  be  severe.  The 
language  of  a  people  is  not  to  be  changed  in  a  day,  and 
there  is  a  natural  presumption  in  favor  of  the  language  of 
one's  fathers.  It  is  doubtful  if  English  congregations 
would  be  more  patient  than  the  Germans  were  if  there 
were  present  danger  that  the  language  which  they  have 
learned  to  love  would  be  superseded  by  another  with 
which  they  were  but  partially  familiar.  No  doubt  in  the 
conflict  of  languages  the  Reformed  Church  has  lost  many 
thousands  of  members;  but,  while  deprecating  the  exist- 
ence of  unwarranted  prejudices,  we  may  perhaps  take  it 
for  granted  that  it  was  the  stern  logic  of  events  alone  that 
could  render  such  a  transition  possible. 


340  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xii'. 

As  the  troubles  in  the  church  on  Race  Street,  Philadel- 
phia, were  the  earliest  of  their  kind,  and  may  be  regarded 
as  typical  of  those  which  at  a  later  date  occurred  in  many 
other  congregations,  it  may  perhaps  be  well  to  consider 
them  with  some  degree  of  minuteness. 

"The  congregation,"  says  Dr.  Berg,i  "had  become 
overgrown."  The  founders  of  the  church  had  passed 
away,  and  in  business  and  social  life  their  descendants  had 
come  to  use  the  English  language  almost  to  the  exclusion 
of  German.  The  children,  in  many  instances,  failed  to  un- 
derstand the  worship  which  they  were  required  to  attend. 
Naturally  enough  this  party  was  warmly  attached  to  the 
church  on  historic  grounds,  supposing,  perhaps,  that  be- 
cause their  fathers  had  built  it  it  was  peculiarly  their  own. 
If  it  had  been  possible  they  would  have  introduced  the 
English  language  into  the  service  of  the  church  at  a  much 
earlier  date  than  the  one  on  which  it  was  actually  accom- 
plished. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  strictly  German  party  showed 
no  signs  of  growing  weaker,  being  constantly  recruited 
by  immigration  from  the  fatherland.  To  them  the  fact 
that  the  church  had  always  been  German  was  a  sufficient 
reason  for  the  exclusion  of  English.  That  on  both  sides 
there  were  social  prejudices  and  disagreements  will  be 
readily  understood. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Helffenstein^  was  pastor  of  the  church 
from  1799  to  1831.  He  was  by  nature  and  training  well 
suited  to  occupy  a  mediating  position  between  the  con- 
flicting parties,  and  possibly  for  this  very  reason  was  in 
turn  attacked  from  opposite  directions.     His  personal  in- 

1  "  Cliristian  Landmarks,"  p.  21. 

2  Samuel  Helffenstein,  D.D.,  eldest  son  of  J.  C.  Albertus  Helffenstein, 
was  born  at  Germantovvn,  Pa.,  April  17,  1775,  and  died  at  North  Wales, 
Pa.,  October  17,  1866.  He  was  the  author  of  "  Didactic  Theology"  and  of 
a  volume  of  poems. 


PHILADELPHIA .  3 4  I 

clinations  were  in  favor  of  German,  though  he  could 
preach  acceptably  in  English.  At  first,  therefore,  he  held 
to  the  Germans;  and  when,  in  1805,  there  was  a  tie- vote 
in  the  Consistory  on  the  question  of  introducing  the  Eng- 
lish language  into  the  services  of  the  church,  the  pastor 
decided  the  matter  by  voting  in  the  negative. >  The 
strictly  English  party  now  withdrew  and  built  a  church 
on  Crown  Street,  which  was  for  six  years  supplied  by  a 
Presbyterian  minister,  but  finally  passed  over  to  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church. 

The  relief  afforded  by  the  withdrawal  of  the  English 
party  was  only  temporary.  Another  English  party  was 
gradually  formed,  and  Dr.  Helffenstein  himself  appears  to 
have  become  convinced  that  its  demands  could  no  longer 
be  resisted.  In  181 7  the  conflict  began  anew,  and  the 
Germans,  who  had  a  majority  in  the  Consistory,  passed  a 
resolution  summarily  dismissing  Dr.  Helffenstein  from  the 
pastorate.  The  matter  was  finally  decided  in  favor  of  the 
pastor.  Then  the  Germans  withdrew  and  organized  a 
church  on  St.  John  Street,  under  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev. 
F.  W.  van  der  Sloot.  English  was  now  introduced  into 
the  old  Race  Street  Church,  but  German  services  were  not 
entirely  discontinued  until  after  the  resignation  of  Dr. 
Helffenstein.  Since  that  time  the  question  of  language 
has  ceased  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  Reformed 
churches  of  Philadelphia,  and  from  each  of  the  congrega- 
tions here  mentioned  a  series  of  English  and  German 
churches  has  been  respectively  derived. 

In  other  parts  of  the  church  the  conflict  concerning 
language  was  perhaps  less  violent  than  in  Philadelphia ; 
but  that  it  existed  in  many  other  places  will  not  be  de- 
nied.    When  Dr.  Lewis  Mayer  preached  the  first  English 

1  Dr.  Van  Home's  "  History  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  Philadelphia," 
p.  65. 


342  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xii. 

sermon,  in  1818,  in  the  Second  Street  Church,  Baltimore, 
he  was  actually  threatened  with  personal  violence.  In 
country  congregations  the  transition  was,  of  course,  more 
gradual,  and  it  was  frequently  accomplished  without  seri- 
ous dissension.  The  Synod  manifested  considerable  pru- 
dence by  declining  to  legislate  on  the  subject,  but  the 
prejudice  of  the  older  ministers  was  intense.  The  writer 
well  remembers  the  time  when  many  of  them  fully  believed 
that  English  was  a  mere  jargon,  in  which  profound  thought 
could  not  be  adequately  expressed.  As  late  as  1826,  at 
the  Synod  of  Frederick,  Md.,  when  a  young  minister 
attempted  to  deliver  an  English  address,  the  president 
promptly  reproved  him,  at  the  same  time  expressing  his 
horror  that  the  abominable  English  language  had  found 
its  way  into  that  solemn  place. 

When  it  became  evident  that,  in  cities  and  towns  at 
least,  the  onward  sweep  of  the  English  language  could  no 
longer  be  successfully  resisted,  many  prominent  pastors 
became  discouraged  and  began  to  advocate  union  with 
some  stronger  ecclesiastical  body.  With  the  German  lan- 
guage, it  was  feared,  German  faith  and  customs  would 
also  disappear ;  and  of  what  use  was  it,  therefore,  to  at- 
tempt a  separate  organization?  In  consequence  of  the 
lack  of  English  ministers  some  of  the  best  churches  had 
found  it  necessary  to  call  pastors  from  other  denomina- 
tions ;  and  these  men,  however  worthy  in  other  respects, 
could  hardly  be  expected  to  be  in  sympathy  with  the 
profoundest  religious  aspirations  of  their  people.  To 
some  of  them,  indeed,  ancient  customs  appeared  to  be 
mere  formalism,  to  be  abrogated  as  soon  as  possible,  as  a 
necessary  preliminary  to  the  establishment  of  a  living 
church.  As  these  ministers  had  come  from  different  de- 
nominations their  methods  differed  widely,  and  the  result 
was  great  confusion.     The  people,  too,  were  made  to  feel 


CORRESPONDENCE.  343 

that  they  had  been  altogether  in  the  wrong,  and  that  they 
must  immediately  accommodate  themselves  to  a  new  form 
of  religious  life.  Under  the  circumstances  it  is  hardly 
surprising  that  the  minds  of  thoughtful  men  were  directed 
to  the  question  of  church  union.  If  ancient  forms  of 
church  life  must  of  necessity  pass  away  it  was  surely 
better  that  the  transition  should  be  made  in  accordance 
with  the  established  order  of  some  other  denomination, 
than  that  it  should  be  left  to  the  notions  of  irresponsible 
strangers. 

The  discussion  of  this  question  soon  revealed  divergent 
tendencies.  At  first  it  seemed  as  if  the  movement  would 
lead  to  union  with  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  though 
there  were  some  who  might  have  preferred  an  alliance 
with  the  Presbyterians.  In  1803  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H.  Liv- 
ingston addressed  a  letter  to  the  German  Synod  suggest- 
ing a  fraternal  correspondence  between  the  two  churches, 
and  the  proposition  was  unanimously  accepted.  The  cor- 
respondence thus  inaugurated  has,  with  several  intermis- 
sions, been  continued  to  the  present  day.  It  may  appear 
remarkable  that  a  closer  union  between  these  two  branches 
of  the  Reformed  Church  was  not  effected,  but  it  was  soon 
found  that  there  were  serious  difficulties  in  the  way. 
Though  both  churches  were  equally  attached  to  the  Hei- 
delberg Catechism,  the  German  body  did  not  deem  it 
advisable  to  increase  the  number  of  its  confessions  by  sub- 
scribing to  the  Belgic  Confession  and  the  Articles  of  the 
Synod  of  Dordrecht,  which  it  regarded  as  the  exclusive 
possession  of  the  church  of  Holland.  Then,  too,  the  two 
churches  occupied  difflfrent  territory,  and  there  was  little 
personal  acquaintat^^Up^tween  their  members.  It  was 
therefore  but  naturl^^t  the  German  part  of  the  church 
should  be  drawn  toward  the  Lutherans,  who  were  their 
neighbors  and  were  socially  closely  allied. 


344  ^-^^   REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xii. 

In  1817  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  Churches  of  Prus- 
sia were  by  law  united.  Naturally  enough  the  American 
churches  manifested  a  desire  to  follow  this  example,  and 
in  the  same  year  the  Lutheran  Ministerium  invited  the 
Reformed  Synod  to  unite  in  the  annual  celebration  of  the 
Festival  of  the  Reformation.  This  led  the  way  to  corre- 
spondence involving  propositions  for  organic  union.  In 
18 18  the  Lutherans  proposed  a  plan  for  a  joint  theological 
seminary  in  connection  with  Franklin  College,  which  was 
approved  by  the  Reformed  Synod. ^  At  the  same  meet- 
ing the  Rev.  Peter  Labagh  presented  an  overture  from  the 
Dutch  Synod,  proposing  that  the  two  Reformed  churches 
should  unite  in  supporting  the  theological  seminary  at  New 
Brunswick ;  but  the  Synod  replied  that  "  in  conjunction 
with  other  Germans  "  it  already  had  a  share  in  an  institu- 
tion at  Lancaster  which  it  desired  to  sustain.  During  the 
following  years  the  committees  appointed  by  the  German 
Reformed  and  Lutherans  to  consider  terms  of  union  held 
several  meetings,  but  failed  to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory 
agreement.  In  one  of  the  later  reports  the  fear  is  ex- 
pressed that  not  all  the  churches  of  either  denomination 
would  enter  the  proposed  union,  and  that  the  result  might 
be  to  introduce  a  new  denomination  without  decreasing 
the  number  already  in  existence.  After  1824  we  hear  no 
more  about  this  particular  union  movement. 

The  Reformed  Church  was  thus  thrown  upon  its  own 
resources,  and  these  were  felt  to  be  entirely  inadequate. 
The  people  were  becoming  more  intelligent,  and  children 
frequently  addressed  questions  to  their  pastors  which 
caused  them  to  feel  keenly  the  defects  of  their  early  edu- 
cation.    The   earhest  Sunday-schfi^j.  in  the  German  Re- 

1  This  subject  is  so  v/ell  treated  by  Dr.  Jacobs  in  his  "  History  of  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church"  (American  Church  History  Series,  vol.  iv.) 
that  the  present  writer  deems  it  unnecessary  to  enter  into  details. 


NEW  MEASURES.  345 

formed  Church  had  been  organized  in  Philadelphia  in 
1806;  but  before  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  cent- 
ury similar  schools  existed  in  most  of  the  larger  towns  and 
villages.  In  some  localities  they  were,  however,  bitterly 
opposed,  mainly  on  the  ground  that  their  introduction 
would  prove  fatal  to  the  catechetical  system  which  had 
for  ages  been  established  in  the  church. 

About  the  year  1820  a  wave  of  religious  feeling  swept 
over  the  American  churches.  Its  effects  were  in  the  main 
beneficent,  and  there  were  everywhere  signs  of  a  new  life. 
Among  its  results  may  be  mentioned  the  establishment  of 
societies  for  the  promotion  of  missions  and  of  other  enter- 
prises of  Christian  benevolence.  The  methods  frequently 
employed  to  promote  a  general  awakening  of  religious 
consciousness  were  popularly  known  as  "  new  measures  "  ; 
and  it  must  be  confessed  that  some  pastors  allowed  their 
enthusiasm  to  carry  them  to  a  position  which  would  now 
be  regarded  as  extravagant.  There  was  a  natural  reaction 
which  ran  into  an  opposite  extreme.  In  some  churches 
the  prevailing  enthusiasm  was  denounced  as  "  wild-fire," 
and  the  people  undertook  to  extinguish  it  in  their  own 
way.  They  grew  suspicious  of  their  pastors,  and  every 
exhortation  to  a  higher  Christian  life  was  met  by  an  in- 
dignant protest. 

It  was  a  time  of  imminent  peril.  There  was  now  a  call 
not  only  for  more  ministers,  but  for  ministers  who  were 
more  thoroughly  educated.  Strong  men  were  needed 
who  not  only  comprehended  the  faith  of  their  church,  but 
were  able  to  defend  it.  Fortunately  there  was  a  little 
company  of  ministers  and  elders  who  believed  that  the 
Reformed  Church  had  a  mission  in  this  country,  and  who, 
in  the  midst  of  discouragements,  employed  the  only  means 
by  which  that  mission  could  be  accomplished. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE   FOUNDING   OF   THE   THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY, 

As  early  as  1817  an  Appeal,  written  by  Dr.  Hendel, 
was  published  by  the  Synod,  requesting  the  churches  to 
regard  with  favor  a  proposed  plan  for  the  more  thorough 
training  of  candidates  for  the  gospel  ministry.  This  plan, 
it  appears,  was  not  perfected  until  1820,  when  the  Synod, 
convened  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  resolved  to  establish  a  theo- 
logical seminary.  At  this  meeting  the  most  progressive 
churches  were  well  represented,  and  the  resolution  was 
greeted  with  the  utmost  enthusiasm.  Indeed,  it  is  hardly 
too  much  to  say  that  some  of  its  supporters  seem  to  have 
imagined  that  the  work  could  be  accomplished  by  a  sim- 
ple resolution. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  Milledoler,  of  New  York,  was  pres- 
ent at  the  meeting  as  a  delegate  from  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church.  He  was  equally  esteemed  in  the  German  church, 
in  which  he  had  begun  his  ministry.  As  he  was  thoroughly 
familiar  with  both  languages,  was  withal  an  eloquent 
preacher,  and  a  man  of  great  personal  dignity,  it  was  be- 
lieved that  he  was  especially  well  suited  to  conduct  the 
proposed  institution,  and  he  was  accordingly  elected  pro- 
fessor of  theology,  at  a  salary  of  two  thousand  dollars  per 
annum.     At  the  same  time  the  following  action  was  taken  : 

"  Resolved,  That  no  minister  shall  hereafter  have  the 
privilege  of  receiving  a  young  man  in  order  to  instruct 
him  in  theology,  but  may  only  direct  him  in  his  prelimi- 
nary studies." 

346 


OPPOSITION.  347 

That  this  action  was  unwise  can  hardly  be  doubted. 
Tlie  seminary,  it  must  be  remembered,  was  not  yet  actu- 
ally established,  and  the  necessary  effect  was  to  exclude 
candidates  from  admission  until  that  work  was  accom- 
plished. In  the  German  part  of  the  church  the  resolution 
was  supposed  to  be  especially  aimed  at  the  Rev.  Dr.  F.  L. 
Herman,  who  instructed  many  students  and  had  been  sug- 
gested as  a  suitable  candidate  for  the  position  of  professor 
of  theology. 

It  seems  to  have  been  supposed  that  the  financial  sup- 
port of  the  proposed  institution  would  cause  no  trouble. 
In  the  fever  of  enthusiasm  the  most  brilliant  promises  were 
freely  made ;  and  some  of  the  ministers  actually  pledged 
themselves  annually  to  pay  several  hundred  dollars  out  of 
their  meager  salaries  in  support  of  the  seminary.  Unfor- 
tunately these  subscriptions  were  conditioned  on  the  ac- 
ceptance of  Dr.  Milledoler,  and  afterward  failed  to  be  col- 
lected. 

The  action  of  the  Synod  was  not  everywhere  favorably 
received.  In  eastern  Pennsylvania  a  storm  was  brewing, 
and  it  soon  broke  forth  with  a  degree  of  violence  which 
could  not  possibly  have  been  anticipated.  Dr.  Herman 
opposed  the  establishment  of  the  seminary,  basing  his  op- 
position principally  on  its  proposed  location  at  Frederick, 
Md.,  which  he  regarded  as  too  far  distant  from  the  center 
of  the  church.  This  led  to  discussions  which  became  acri- 
monious and  involved  considerable  personal  feeling.  Next 
year  the  Synod  suspended  from  the  ministry  Dr.  Herman's 
gifted  but  wayward  son  Frederick.  No  one  doubted  the 
propriety  of  the  action,  but  it  is  said  to  have  been  com- 
municated to  the  afflicted  father  by  one  of  the  officers  of 
Synod  in  terms  which  proved  offensive.  Dr.  Herman  and 
his  friends  then  withdrew  from  Synod  and  returned  home 
without  permission,  for  which  acts  they  were  severely  cen- 


348  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.   [Chap,  xir 

sured  by  resolution.  On  the  24th  of  April,  1 822,  Dr.  Her- 
man and  his  friends  met  in  the  Maxatawny  church,  in 
Berks  County,  and  organized  a  new  Synod.  Its  first  title 
was  the  "  Synod  of  the  Free  German  Reformed  Congre- 
gations of  Pennsylvania  "  ;  but  this  was  afterward  changed 
to  the  "  German  Reformed  Synod  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Adjacent  States."  Next  to  Dr.  Herman  the  most  promi- 
nent man  in  this  new  organization  was  his  son-in-law,  the 
Rev.  John  C.  Guldin,  who  was  in  later  life  an  influential 
German  minister  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  "  Free  Synod  "  increased  rapidly,  and  during  its 
brief  history  included  fifty-seven  ministers  and  more  than 
a  hundred  congregations.  Its  members  repudiated  the  im- 
putation of  being  in  favor  of  ecclesiastical  independence, 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  at  first  the  general  tend- 
encies of  the  organization  were  in  the  direction  of  Con- 
gregationalism. In  1837  the  Free  Synod  returned  in  a 
body  to  the  "  Synod  of  the  United  States,"  and  what  at 
one  time  threatened  to  become  a  dangerous  schism  was 
in  this  way  eff"ectually  healed.  It  may  be  remarked  that 
some  of  the  men  who  had  at  first  opposed  the  establish- 
ment of  the  theological  seminary  became  at  a. later  date 
its  most  enthusiastic  supporters. 

The  organized  antagonism  to  the  proposed  institution, 
as  represented  by  the  Free  Synod,  was  in  fact  but  a  small 
part  of  the  opposition  which  it  had  to  encounter.  Dema- 
gogues saw  their  opportunity,  and  by  their  influence  con- 
ventions were  held  to  protest  against  this  new  piece  of 
"priestcraft."  Legends  concerning  the  oppressive  char- 
acter of  the  state  churches  of  Europe  were  sedulously  re- 
vived, and  uneducated  communities  were  warned  that  the 
benevolent  contributions  which  were  now  solicited  would 
be  succeeded  by  a  demand  for  taxes  in  support  of  a  legal 
establishment  of  religion.     A  German  schoolmaster,  Carl 


CARL    GOCK. 


349 


Gock,  successively  wrote  two  books  against  the  Synod, 
which  were  remarkable  only  for  their  misrepresentations. 
J.  C.  Gosslei;  published  a  reply,  but  it  was  a  weak  perform- 
ance. The  strong  men  of  the  church  for  obvious  reasons 
declined  to  enter  the  controversy.  Gock  ended  his  career 
in  the  Berks  County  almshouse.  A  short  time  before  his 
death'  he  was  visited  by  Dr.  Harbaugh,  who  in  conversa- 
tion referred  to  his  publications  against  the  Synod.  The 
old  man  was  delighted  by  the  allusion,  and  expressed  the 
conviction  that  his  books  had  prevented  the  "  priests " 
from  enslaving  the  people. 

In  the  midst  of  these  difficulties  the  friends  of  the  semi- 
nary stood  firm.  Prominent  among  these  friends  were 
William  Hendel,  James  R.  Reily,  Lewis  Mayer,  and  Jona- 
than Helffenstein.  There  was  also  a  little  company  of 
earnest  laymen,  of  whom  one  of  the  most  energetic  was 
Bernard  C.  Wolff,  who  subsequently  entered  the  ministry 
and  became  an  eminent  man.  No  doubt  they  were  at 
times  discouraged  by  opposition,  but  greater  anxiety  was 
caused  by  the  pecuHar  attitude  of  Dr.  Milledoler  with 
regard  to  his  call  to  the  professorship  of  theology.  For 
nearly  two  years  he  held  the  call  under  advisement ;  twice 
he  accepted  it  and  as  often  withdrew  .his  acceptance.  No 
doubt  the  situation  was  sufficiently  discouraging;  but  we 
feel  assured  that  if  Dr.  Milledoler's  courage  had  not  failed 
he  might  have  accomplished  a  great  work  for  the  church 
of  his  fathers.  His  final  declination  was  succeeded  by  a 
period  of  profound  discouragement. 

The  friends  of  the  proposed  institution  were  not,  how- 
ever, disposed  to  give  up  their  plan,  and  at  the  Synod  of 
Harrisburg  (1822)  it  was  again  considered.  It  was  now 
felt  that  the  work  must  be  done  on  a  more  modest  scale, 
and  that,  for  a  time  at  least,  whoever  accepted  the  profess- 
orship must  expect  to  suffer  many  privations.      It  was  sug- 


350  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.   [Chap.  xiii. 

gested  that  the  professor  might  also  serve  a  congregation, 
and  there  seemed  to  be  an  opportunity  just  at  hand  for 
making  such  an  arrangement.  Harrisburg  was  believed 
to  be  sufficiently  central  to  please  all  parties,  and  the  Con- 
sistory of  the  congregation  at  that  place  appeared  before 
the  Synod  with  a  somewhat  remarkable  proposition  :  they 
expressed  their  willingness  to  accept  as  their  pastor  any 
minister  whom  the  Synod  might  elect  to  the  office  of  pro- 
fessor, provided  their  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Wine- 
brenner,  made  room  for  this  arrangement  by  presenting 
his  resignation.  The  fact  is  that  the  congregation  was 
in  a  disturbed  condition,  and  the  Consistory  was  desir- 
ous of  effecting  a  change  of  pastors.  Their  pastor  was  in 
many  respects  a  brilliant  man,  and  had  shown  unusual 
interest  in  the  establishment  of  the  seminary ;  but  he  had 
recently  carried  the  revival  system  to  an  extent  that  was 
unusual  in  the  Reformed  churches,  and  was  even  then 
accused  of  preaching  doctrines  that  were  in  opposition  to 
its  standards.  It  was  presumed  that  he  could  be  induced 
to  resign ;  but  he  asked  time  for  consideration,  and  at  this 
meeting  of  Synod  no  further  action  was  taken. 

Next  year  (1823)  the  subject  was  taken  up  again,  and 
the  Synod  proceeded  to  elect  a  professor.  On  the  first 
ballot  the  votes  were  equally  divided  between  three  candi- 
dates: the  Rev.  Drs.  Samuel  Helffenstein,  Jacob  C.  Becker, 
and  Lewis  Mayer.  Then  Dr.  Mayer  withdrew  his  name 
and  Dr.  Helffenstein  was  chosen. 

The  troubles  in  the  Harrisburg  church  continued,  and 
these  were,  no  doubt,  not  without  influence  on  the  mind  of 
Dr.  Helffenstein,  who  finally  declined  the  call.  Mr.  Wine- 
brenner  held  his  charge  for  several  years  longer,  but  fin- 
ally found  it  desirable  to  withdraw.  He  became  more 
and  more  alienated  from  the  Synod,  and  in  1828  it  was 
announced  at  the  meeting  in  Miffiinburg  that  he  had  re- 


LEWIS  MAYER.  35  I 

fused  to  notice  its  citations,  and  was  even  then  preaching 
against  the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism.  His  name  was  then 
reluctantly  erased  from  the  list  of  members.  In  1830  he 
organized  his  followers  into  a  separate  denomination,  which 
is  known  as  the  "Church  of  God." 

At  the  Synod  of  Bedford,  in  1824,  an  invitation  was  re- 
ceived from  the  trustees  of  Dickinson  College,  at  Carhsle, 
Pa.,  inviting  the  Synod  to  establish  a  theological  seminary 
in  connection  with  that  institution.  The  college  was  at 
that  time  under  the  care  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but 
was  financially  and  otherwise  in  a  depressed  condition. 
It  was  believed  that  the  institution  might  be  strengthened 
by  connection  with  a  theological  seminary,  which  would 
naturally  attract  students  to  the  college.  As  an  induce- 
ment to  accept  their  invitation  the  trustees  offered  the 
Synod  a  dwelling  for  its  professor  and  the  use  of  rooms 
for  recitations  in  the  college  building,  on  condition  that 
the  professor  should  instruct  college  students  in  the  Ger- 
man language.  The  conditions  seemed  promising  and  the 
invitation  was  accepted.  The  Synod  then  renewed  its 
call  to  Dr.  Helffenstein,  with  the  proviso  that  if  he  should 
decline  it  a  similar  call  should  immediately  be  extended 
to  Dr.  Lewis  Mayer.  As  was  perhaps  anticipated,  the 
call  was  declined  by  Dr.  Helffenstein  and  accepted  by 
Dr.  Mayer.  That  the  latter  had  not  sought  the  call  is 
certain ;  but  from  the  beginning  he  had  been  profoundly 
interested  in  the  educational  movement,  and  now  felt  it 
his  duty  to  make  every  sacrifice  that  might  be  needed  for 
its  advancement. 

Lewis  Mayer  was  born  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  March  26, 
1783,  and  died  in  York,  Pa.,  August  25,  1849.  Though 
of  a  prominent  family,  his  early  educational  opportunities 
were  limited.  He  was,  however,  a  man  of  remarkable 
talents  and  of  unremitting  industry,  so  that  he  became  in 


352  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.   [Chap.  xiii. 

time  an  excellent  scholar.  Dr.  Schaff  calls  him  "  a  man  of 
reverent  and  devout  character,  clear  and  temperate  judg- 
ment, and  profound  learning."^  The  same  writer,  how- 
ever, deems  it  necessary  to  add  that  Dr.  Mayer  seems  to 
have  derived  from  De  Wette  and  other  theologians  cer- 
tain views  which  were  regarded  as  deviating  from  the 
strict  orthodoxy  of  the  times.  In  the  main,  however, 
Dr.  Mayer's  system  was  of  the  type  which  generally  pre- 
vailed in  the  Reformed  churches,  and  his  peculiarities  of 
doctrine  did  not  affect  the  thinking  of  his  students  to  any 
appreciable  extent.  That  he  was  thoroughly  devoted  to 
the  church  could  not  be  doubted,  and  for  years  almost  the 
entire  responsibility  of  its  educational  work  rested  upon 
him.  At  a  time  when  few  appreciated  the  value  of  such 
things  he  laboriously  gathered  historical  documents  and 
planned  on  a  large  scale  a  "  History  of  the  Reformed 
Church,"  of  which,  unfortunately,  but  a  single  volume  has 
appeared.  The  church  was  certainly  fortunate  in  securing 
for  its  first  professor  of  theology  a  man  of  the  ability  and 
devotion  of  Dr.  Mayer. 

The  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Reformed  Church 
was  opened  at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  on  the  iith  of  March,  1825, 
with  a  class  of  five  students,  which  soon  increased  to 
seven.  Only  one  of  these  had  received  a  classical  edu- 
cation. The  others  were  very  imperfectly  prepared,  and, 
in  an  extant  letter,  Dr.  Mayer  says  that  he  was  compelled 
to  "  teach  them  the  rudiments  of  Greek  and  even  the 
grammar  of  their  mother  tongue."  ^ 

Under  these  circumstances  the  position  of  professor  of 
theology  was  by  no  means  pleasant,  but  Dr.  Mayer  cer- 
tainly accomplished  as  much  as  was  possible.  The  young 
men  whom  he  trained  for  the  ministry  were  recognized  as 

1  "  Kirchenfreund,"  October,  1849. 

2  Appel's  "  Beginnings  of  the  Theological  Seminary,"  p.  52. 


JAMES  ROSS  REILY.  353 

well  prepared,  and  the  seminary  gradually  gained  the  con- 
fidence of  the  church.  The  arrangement  with  Dickinson 
College  did  not  prove  satisfactory,  as  the  financial  diffi- 
culties of  the  institution  increased,  and  it  was  found  that 
an  instructor  in  German  was  not  really  required.  The 
seminary  was  therefore  compelled  to  depend  on  its  own 
resources,  which  were  as  slender  as  can  well  be  imagined. 
That  the  institution  was  successfully  founded  was  due 
in  great  measure  to  the  labors  of  a  plain  country  pastor. 
James  Ross  Reily  (i  788-1844)  was  in  many  respects  a  re- 
markable man.  Of  Irish  and  German  descent,  he  seems 
to  have  combined  the  best  elements  of  both  .nationalities. 
Though  his  piety  was  decidedly  of  the  German  type,  he 
manifested  a  certain  quickness  in  action  which  was  in  those 
days  unusual.  On  several  occasions  he  had,  almost  on  his 
own  responsibility,  undertaken  extensive  missionary  jour- 
neys to  the  South  and  West,  and  had  succeeded  in  saving 
many  churches  that  were  ready  to  die.  He  was  an  elo- 
quent preacher  in  German  and  English,  and  as  a  debater 
on  the  floor  of  Synod  was  acknowledged  to  be  without  a 
peer.  Unfortunately  he  was  for  many  years  an  invalid, 
and  it  was  only  at  intervals  that  he  could  actively  engage 
in  the  service  of  the  church.  One  day,  while  crossing  the 
Potomac  on  the  way  from  Hagerstown  to  Shepherdstown, 
it  occurred  to  him  that  if  some  one  should  visit  Germany, 
where  a  deep  interest  had  always  been  taken  in  the  im- 
migrant population  of  this  country,  a  sum  of  money  and  a 
library  might  be  secured  for  the  seminary.^  Immediately 
on  arriving  at  his  destination  he  declared  his  intention  to 
undertake  the  journey,  and  without  delay  secured  the 
approval  of  the  authorities  to  his  undertaking.  It  was 
generally  supposed  to  be  a  "  wild-goose  chase,"  but  as 
Mr.  Reily  personally  assumed  the  financial  risk  there  could 
I  Appel,  p.  57, 


354  ^^^  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.  [Chap.  xiii. 

be  no  valid  objection,  and  he  was  supplied  with  the  neces- 
sary testimonials.  He  sailed  from  Philadelphia  in  May, 
1825,  and  returned  to  America  in  October  of  the  follow- 
ing year.  By  the  voyage  his  health  appears  to  have  been 
temporarily  improved,  and  in  Europe  his  preaching  proved 
very  acceptable.  All  classes,  with  the  possible  exception 
of  avowed  rationalists,  vied  in  efforts  to  promote  his  under- 
taking. In  Holland  he  was  informed  that  the  fund  which 
in  the  last  century  had  been  set  apart  for  the  German 
churches  of  Pennsylvania  had  been  distributed  among 
poor  congregations ;  but  the  Synod  convened  at  the 
Hague  gave -him  a  contribution  of  one  thousand  florins, 
besides  pledges  from  individual  members.  The  king  of 
Prussia,  after  a  pleasant  interview,  handed  him  two  hun- 
dred RcicJistJialer,  and  granted  him  the  privilege  of  pre- 
senting his  cause  to  the  Prussian  churches.  He  also  gave 
him  many  books  for  the  library  of  the  seminary,  and  some 
of  these,  stamped  with  the  arms  of  Hohenzollern,  are  still 
preserved.  Professor  De  Wette,  of  Basel,  wrote  a  brochure 
in  behalf  of  the  American  seminary,  which  was  exten- 
sively circulated.  In  Switzerland,  especially,  Mr.  Reily's 
mission  excited  popular  enthusiasm  to  such  a  degree  that 
ladies  contributed  their  jewelry,  and  one  even  gave  her 
gold  watch.  Wherever  the  cause  was  presented  the  result 
was  marvelous ;  but  again  and  again  Mr.  Reily's  health 
failed,  and  he  was  therefore  unable  to  visit  many  impor- 
tant places.  On  his  return  to  America  he  was,  however, 
enabled  to  report  that  he  had  received  for  the  seminary, 
in  Holland,  Germany,  and  Switzerland,  the  sum  of  $6669, 
besides  pledges  which  were  no  doubt  subsequently  re- 
deemed. He  also  brought  with  him  about  five  thousand 
books,  which  had  been  presented  by  friends  in  Europe  to 
form  the  nucleus  of  a  library.  The  mission  had  proved  a 
success,  and  the  friends  of  the  seminary  were  greatly  en- 


DANIEL    YOUNG.  355 

couraged.  The  Rev.  Jacob  C.  Beecher,  of  Shepherdstown, 
Va.,  collected  ten  thousand  dollars,  which  may  be  regarded 
as  the  earliest  important  contribution  from  the  church  in 
this  country.  Of  even  greater  importance  was  the  fact 
that  the  reactionary  German  party  were  profoundly  im- 
pressed by  the  liberality  of  their  brethren  in  Europe,  and 
gradually  came  to  the  conclusion  that  after  all  the  semi- 
nary might  be  a  good  thing.  Its  troubles  in  Carlisle  were, 
however,  by  no  means  ended.  There  were  dissensions  in 
the  Board  of  Superintendents  concerning  the  purchase  of 
property,  and  in  1829  the  Synod  directed  the  removal  of 
the  institution  to  York,  Pa.  As  the  effects  were  not 
numerous  their  removal  was  easily  accomplished.  It  was, 
however,  afterward  generally  felt  that  this  action  was 
hastily  taken,  and  that  it  might  have  been  better  if  the 
seminary  had  remained  at  Carlisle. 

At  York  the  seminary  was  reorganized  on  the  iith  of 
November,  1829,  and  was  there  successfully  conducted 
until  the  autumn  of  1837.  Dr.  Mayer  was  assisted  for 
some  time  by  the  Rev.  Daniel  Young,  who  was  chosen 
assistant  professor  of  theology.  Mr.  Young  was  a  brilliant 
man,  a  graduate  of  Union  College,  New  York,  and  of  the 
theological  seminary  at  Princeton.  His  health  failed,  and 
in  the  hope  of  its  restoration  he  made  a  journey  to  the 
South,  bnt  died  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  March  6,  1831,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-six. 

As  most  of  the  students  lacked  preparatory  training  it 
was  found  necessary,  in  1831,  to  establish  a  classical  de- 
partment, which  was  known  as  the  High  School  of  the 
Reformed  Church.  In  1832  it  was  placed  under  the  care 
of  Dr.  F.  A.  Rauch,  and  became  so  prosperous  that  there 
was  a  general  desire  that  it  should  be  raised  to  the  rank  of 
a  college.  It  was  determined  that  the  institution  should 
be  located  at  the  place  from  which  the  most  advantageous 


356  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.  [Chap.  xiii. 

proposals  were  received ;  but  at  the  meeting  of  the  Synod 
held  in  Chambersburg  in  1835  it  was  found  that  three 
towns  only — Lancaster,  Chambersburg,  and  Mercersburg 
— had  undertaken  to  compete.  The  invitation  from  Lan- 
caster was  presented  by  the  trustees  of  Franklin  College, 
in  which  the  Reformed  Church  still  retained  a  one-third 
interest ;  but  as  the  institution  would  at  that  place  have 
been  under  the  control  of  several  denominations,  and  as 
the  connection  of  a  theological  seminary  with  Franklin 
College  was  not  desired,  the  offer  was  declined.  The  in- 
vitation from  Chambersburg  had  been  extended  by  a  few 
individuals,  and  was  not  regarded  as  suflficiently  definite. 
Mercersburg  was,  however,  well  represented  by  the  Rev. 
Jacob  Mayer,  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  that  place. 
Mr.  Mayer  clearly  foresaw  the  advantage  that  must  accrue 
to  Mercersburg  from  the  establishment  of  a  literary  insti- 
tution, and  had  succeeded  in  bringing  the  whole  commu- 
nity to  his  way  of  thinking.  Li  the  pursuit  of  his  purpose 
he  did  not  leave  a  stone  unturned,  and  a  series  of  proposi- 
tions was  presented  which  was  certainly  sufficiently  fas- 
cinating. After  long  consideration  the  Synod  accepted 
the  proposals  from  Mercersburg,  and  the  literary  institu- 
tion was  as  soon  as  possible  removed  to  that  place.  The 
Theological  Seminary  remained  at  York  two  years  longer, 
under  the  care  of  Dr.  Mayer;  but  it  was  felt  that  this  un- 
natural separation  ought  not  to  continue,  and  it  was  brought 
to  an  end  by  the  removal  of  the  seminary  to  Mercersburg. 
From  this  time  for  many  years  the  history  of  the  two  in- 
stitutions runs  parallel  and  must  be  simultaneously  con- 
sidered. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

MERCERSBURG. 

Mercersburg  is  a  pleasant  village  among  the  mountains 
of  Franklin  County,  Pa.  It  is  surrounded  by  magnificent 
scenery,  and  at  the  time  of  which  we  speak  was  regarded 
as  peculiarly  well  suited  for  literary  retirement  and  study. 
It  was  at  that  time  less  isolated  than  it  became  when  the 
building  of  railroads  to  the  West  had  changed  the  routes 
of  travel. 

Marshall  College  was  founded  at  Mercersburg  in  1835. 
It  was  named  in  honor  of  Chief-Justice  John  Marshall, 
who  was  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  his  generation.  Dr. 
Ranch,  who  had  accompanied  the  High  School  on  its  re- 
moval from  York  to  Mercersburg,  was  elected  president. 
In  the  organization  of  the  institution,  it  is  said,  he  was 
assisted  by  one  professor  only;  but  in  the  next  year  the 
faculty  was  enlarged.  It  is  indeed  a  remarkable  fact  that 
the  early  professors  were  without  exception  men  of  decided 
ability.  The  college  was  as  poor  as  can  well  be  imagined, 
and  the  salaries  meager  and  not  regularly  paid.  It  was  a 
time  of  high  thinking  and  poor  living. 

Frederick  Augustus  Ranch,  the  first  president  of  Mar- 
shall College,  was  born  on  the  27th  of  July,  1806,  at 
Kirchbracht,  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  where  his  father  was 
pastor  of  a  Reformed  church.  The  son  was  thoroughly 
educated  at  Marburg,  Giessen,  and  Heidelberg,  and  was 
at  Heidelberg  a  favorite  pupil  of  the  distinguished  phi- 

357 


358  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.       [Chap.  xiv. 

losopher  and  theologian,  Carl  Daub,  for  whom  he  always 
retained  the  warmest  affection.  Daub  could  not  be  said 
to  belong  to  any  particular  school  in  philosophy  ;  but  he 
had  mastered  all  the  schools,  and  is  termed  by  Tholuck 
"a  hierophant  in  the  temple  of  knowledge."  The  same 
writer  describes  him  as  "  bolder  than  Schleiermacher,"  but 
retaining  in  the  midst  of  prevailing  skepticism  an  earnest 
Christian  faith.  "  He  was,"  says  Dr.  Nevin,  "  a  man  who 
lived  for  the  invisible  and  eternal,  on  whose  soul  the 
visions  of  the  Almighty,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ, 
had  unfolded  their  glory." 

It  was  the  golden  age  of  German  philosophy.  Kant 
and  Fichte  had  but  recently  passed  away,  and  Schelling, 
Hegel,  and  Schleiermacher  were  the  most  brilliant  stars 
in  the  literary  firmament.  Hegel  had  become  especially 
famous,  and  his  philosophy  was  the  leading  topic  of  the 
day.  Hegelianism,  it  is  said,  was  debated  not  only  in  the 
universities,  but  in  legislative  halls  and  even  in  commercial 
circles.  Parties  were  formed,  and  there  were  vehement 
discussions  concerning  the  proper  application  of  Hegel's 
doctrines  to  theology,  law,  and  politics.  It  is  only  within 
the  last  few  years  that  we  have  ceased  to  hear  much  con- 
cerning Old  and  Young  Hegelians,  and  Hegelians  of  the 
Right,  Center,  and  Left. 

It  was  but  natural  that  Dr.  Ranch  should  be  profoundly 
interested  in  the  great  philosophical  movement.  "  In  this 
view,"  says  Dr.  Nevin,  "  he  placed  a  special  value  on  the 
philosophy  of  Hegel — the  culmination  of  the  process — al- 
though he  was  very  far  from  surrendering  himself  blindly 
to  his  authority."  If  Dr.  Ranch  is  to  be  counted  as  an 
Hegelian  it  must  be  in  a  sense  very  different  from  the  one 
in  which  the  term  is  ordinarily  employed.  He  was  an  ear- 
nest Christian,  who  recognized  Hegel  as  a  mighty  thinker, 
believing  that,  notwithstanding  the  evil  use  which  had  been 


FREDERICK  A.  RAUCH.  359 

made  of  his  philosophy,  its  methods  might  become  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  advancement  of  the  truth. 

When  Dr.  Ranch  had  finished  his  course  at  Heidelberg 
he  served  for  one  year  as  professor  extraordinariiis  at 
Giessen,  and  had  just  received  a  call  to  an  ordinary  pro- 
fessorship at  Heidelberg  when  an  event  occurred  which 
put  an  end  to  his  European  career.  On  some  public  occa- 
sion he  ventured  to  express  himself  too  freely  on  the  sub- 
ject of  civil  government,  and  was  compelled  to  seek  safety 
in  flight.  Though  the  circumstances  are  not  accurately  re- 
membered it  is  not  difficult  to  understand  them.  Dr.  Ranch 
was  but  one  of  hundreds  who  under  similar  conditions 
were  compelled  to  leave  their  fatherland,  for  the  govern- 
ment was  stern,  not  to  say  merciless.  It  has,  however, 
been  remarked  that  he  never  attempted  to  pose  as  a  suf- 
fering patriot,  as  he  might  easily  have  done  in  this  coun- 
try, but  always  freely  acknowledged  that  he  had  been 
imprudent. 

After  his  arrival  in  America  Dr.  Ranch  remained  for 
some  time  in  Easton,  Pa.,  where  he  supported  himself  by 
giving  instruction  in  music  and  by  teaching  German  in 
Lafayette  College.  At  this  place  he  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Pomp  and  other  Reformed  min- 
isters, who  induced  him  to  take  charge  of  the  High  School 
at  York.  Here  he  was  licensed  and  ordained,  and  subse- 
quently chosen  second  professor  in  the  Theological  Semi- 
nary. When  he  removed  to  Mercersburg  he  retained  his 
theological  professorship,  though  he  was  temporarily  re- 
lieved of  its  duties.  In  1837  the  separation  of  the  college 
and  seminary  was  brought  to  a  conclusion  by  the  removal 
of  the  latter  institution  to  Mercersburg.  Dr.  Mayer  re- 
signed and  remained  in  York,  but  was  a  year  later  per- 
suaded to  resume  his  place  in  the  seminary  at  Mercers- 
burg.     It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  he  soon  discovered 


36o  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xiv. 

that  his  days  of  usefuhiess  were  ended.  The  students 
had  been  trained  in  lines  of  thought  with  which  he  was 
not  familiar,  and  it  is  onl}^  too  evident  that  he  was  unable 
to  gain  the  sympathy  and  support  which  were  essential  to 
success.  His  peculiar  views  concerning  the  nature  of  the 
Trinity,  eschatology,  and  other  points  of  doctrine  were 
brought  by  the  students  to  the  attention  of  Synod,  and  an 
investigation  was  ordered.  At  the  Synod  held  in  Phila- 
delphia in  1839  there  was  a  sharp  conflict  between  the 
professors,  and  Dr.  Mayer  tendered  his  resignation.  It 
was  accepted,  and  he  was  formally  thanked  for  his  long 
and  faithful  service.  The  investigation  was  not  continued, 
and  Dr.  Mayer  retained  in  retirement  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  the  church.  That  the  last  year  of  his  service 
was  clouded  by  these  troubles  is  greatly  to  be  regretted, 
but  their  cause  may  be  readily  understood.  It  was  a  time 
of  transition,  and  Dr.  Mayer  represented  the  period  which 
was  passing  away.  He  was  learned  and  pious,  but  his  sys- 
tem was  in  the  main  of  the  type  which  had  been  current 
in  the  American  churches  during  the  earlier  years  of  the 
present  century,  and  to  the  students  who  had  just  tasted 
of  the  fresh  stream  of  German  theology  his  teaching  ap- 
peared formal  and  unimpressive.  That  his  divergence 
from  accepted  standards  was  more  apparent  than  real 
may  perhaps  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  his  students 
were  never  accused  of  heterodoxy. 

Immediately  after  the  acceptance  of  Dr.  Mayer's  resig- 
nation the  Synod  elected  as  his  successor  the  Rev.  Dr. 
J.  C.  Becker,  a  German  pastor  of  learning  and  ability.  Dr. 
Becker  declined  the  call,  and  for  some  time  the  leading 
men  of  the  church  were  unable  to  agree  on  a  candidate 
for  the  position.  They  had,  very  properly,  an  exalted  idea 
of  the  requirements  of  the  office,  and  some  of  them  were 
perhaps  inclined  to  underrate  their  own  ability.     A  special 


JOHN   WILLIAMSON  NEVIN.  36 1 

meeting  of  the  Synod  was  held  at  Chambersburg  on  the 
29th  and  30th  of  January,  1840,  and  on  the  second  day  of 
the  session  an  election  was  held.  Several  names  were  pre- 
sented and  withdrawn,  and  then,  as  by  a  common  inspira- 
tion, the  Synod  unanimously  elected  the  Rev.  Dr.  John 
Williamson  Nevin,  at  that  time  professor  in  the  Western 
Theological  Seminary  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  at  Alle- 
ghany, Pa. 

The  members  of  the  Synod  which  called  Dr.  Nevin  to 
the  professorship  at  Mercersburg  have  now  passed  away ; 
but  the  writer  remembers  having  heard  several  of  them, 
many  years  ago,  expressing  their  wonder  that  under  the 
circumstances  this  action  was  taken.  Very  few  of  the  dele- 
gates knew  Dr.  Nevin  even  by  name.  The  Rev.  Samuel 
R.  Fisher,  then  of  Emmittsburg,  Md.,  alone  had  heard  him 
preach,  and  the  Rev.  Benjamin  S.  Schneck,  editor  of  the 
"Weekly  IVfessenger,"  had  followed  his  public  career 
with  profound  interest.  It  was  known  to  these  men  that 
Dr.  Nevin  was  studying  German  theology,  and  this  fact, 
together  with  his  reputation  for  earnest  piety,  led  them 
to  the  conviction  that  he  was  a  man  suited  to  perform 
a  great  work  in  the  German  church.  Having  heard  that 
he  was  about  to  resign  his  professorship  at  Alleghany, 
they  had  written  to  him  on  the  subject,  but  he  had  de- 
clined to  be  a  candidate.  Nevertheless  some  of  Dr.  Nevin's 
friends  had  assured  them  that  one  of  his  marked  character- 
istics was  supreme  devotion  to  duty,  and  that  if  he  could 
be  convinced  that  it  was  his  duty  to  accept  a  call  he 
would  do  it  at  any  x:ost.  They  therefore  determined,  on 
their  own  responsibility,  to  present  his  name  to  the  Synod. 
Their  enthusiasm  was  no  doubt  impressive,  but  the  call- 
ing of  a  professor  from  another  denomination  was  a  new 
departure,  and  must  have  appeared  to  some  of  the  dele- 
gates an  action  of  questionable  propriety.    The  fact,  how- 


362  THE  KEFUKMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xiv. 

ever,  remains  that  when  Dr.  Nevin  was  nominated  the  other 
candidates — John  H.  Smaltz  and  Albert  Helffenstein,  Jr. 
— withdrew  their  names  and  urged  his  election.  After 
prayer  by  Dr.  Schneck  a  ballot  was  taken  and  Dr.  Nevin 
viras  unanimously  chosen.  Messrs.  Schneck  and  Fisher 
were  then  directed  to  present  the  call  and  to  urge  its  ac- 
ceptance. As  the  newly  elected  professor  subsequently 
came  to  occupy  a  position  of  extraordinary  influence  in 
the  Reformed  Church  it  may  be  well  at  this  point  to  pre- 
sent a  brief  sketch  of  his  earlier  career. 

John  Williamson  Nevin  was  born  in  Franklin  County, 
Pa.,  February  20,  1803.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry 
and  belonged  to  a  family  of  eminence  and  influence.  His 
paternal  grandmother  was  a  sister  of  Hugh  Williamson, 
LL.D.,  one  of  the  framers  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.  His  father,  though  a  farmer,  was  a  graduate  of 
Dickinson  College,  and  placed  the  Latin  grammar  in  the 
hands  of  his  son  almost  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  read. 
Before  he  was  fifteen  years  old  he  was  matriculated  as  a 
student  of  Union  College,  New  York,  then  under  the 
presidency  of  Dr.  Nott,  and,  although  the  youngest  in 
his  class,  was  graduated  with  honor  in  1821.  During  his 
college  course  he  came  under  the  influence  of  Mr.  Net- 
tleton ;  and  though  he  subsequently  came  to  disagree 
with  the  methods  of  that  eminent  revivalist  he  never  un- 
dervalued the  change  of  heart  and  life  which  he  then  ex- 
perienced. 

In  the  fall  of  1823  he  entered  the  theological  seminary 
at  Princeton,  and  during  his  course  devoted  special  atten- 
tion to  Hebrew  and  biblical  literature.  In  1826  he  was 
invited  to  supply  temporarily  the  chair  of  oriental  and  bib- 
lical literature  in  the  absence  of  Dr.  Hodge,  who  spent  two 
years  in  Europe  to  regain  his  health.  During  this  period 
Dr.  Nevin  wrote  his  "  Biblical  Antiquities,"  a  handbook 


CALL    TO  MERCHRSBURG.  363 

which  was  extensively  circulated  and  is  still  well  known. 
In  October,  1828,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  by 
the  Presbytery  of  Carlisle,  and  about  the  same  time  was 
called  to  the  chair  of  biblical  literature  in  the  new  theo- 
logical seminary  established  by  the  General  Assembly  at 
Alleghany,  Pa.  Here  he  labored  until  he  received  the 
call  from  Mercersburg. 

In  less  than  a  week  after  Dr.  Nevin's  election  the  com- 
mittee of  the  German  Reformed  Synod  started  on  their 
journey.  It  was  in  the  midst  of  winter,  and  they  suffered 
greatly  from  the  cold  in  crossing  the  mountains.  Their 
visit  was  entirely  unexpected,  and  presented  a  subject  of 
the  utmost  importance.  The  question  of  acceptance  could 
not,  of  course,  be  immediately  decided,  but  the  committee 
were  encouraged  by  their  reception,  and  departed  in  the 
hope  that  their  mission  had  not  been  fruitless. 

The  call  to  Mercersburg  was  externally  by  no  means 
fascinating.  It  involved  separation  from  cherished  associ- 
ations and  labor  in  an  untried  field.  To  a  man  as  earnest 
as  Dr.  Nevin  these  considerations  were,  however,  of  little 
importance.  There  was  a  grand  opportunity  for  extended 
usefulness,  and  with  his  profound  sense  of  duty  he  could 
not  neglect  it.  It  was  on  this  ground  that  his  former  theo- 
logical instructor.  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander,  advised  him  to 
accept  the  call.  "  The  change  of  position,"  as  Dr.  Nevin 
himself  afterward  expressed  it,  "  was  not  regarded  as  in 
itself  a  change  of  denominational  faith,  but  only  as  a  transi- 
tion from  one  section  of  the  general  Reformed  confession 
to  another." 

In  the  course  of  his  German  studies  he  had  felt  strongly 
drawn  toward  the  German  church.  He  had  read  Neander, 
and  his  conception  of  history  as  a  divine  life  had  come  to 
him  with  the  power  of  a  revelation.  Speaking  of  this 
period   he  says,   in   his  unfinished  autobiography :    "  The 


364  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xiv. 

course  in  which  my  religious  hfe  and  theology  lay  was  of 
one  order  with  that  more  decided  Christological  tend- 
ency which  came  to  prevail  more  fully  in  later  years, 
and  to  which  more  than  to  any  other  cause,  I  owe  what- 
ever of  peculiarity  may  seem  to  have  attached  itself  to  my 
theological  views.  It  is  just  here  that  the  key  to  my 
whole  religious  history  lies.  All  along  it  has  been  a  move- 
ment in  the  same  direction ;  a  movement  away  from  the 
simply  subjective  in  religion  toward  the  supernaturally 
objective  ;  from  the  spiritually  abstract,  as  I  look  at  it,  to 
the  historically  concrete ;  and  from  the  Gnostically  ideal 
to  the  Christologically  real." 

Before  accepting  the  call  to  Mercersburg  Dr.  Nevin  care- 
fully studied  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  and  recognized  it 
as  what  it  really  is,  "  the  crown  and  glory  of  the  whole 
Protestant  Reformation."  It  appealed  to  him  especially 
in  its  Christologic  character,  and  to  the  end  of  his  life  he 
regarded  it  with  a  degree  of  admiration  that  bordered  on 
enthusiasm. 

When  Dr.  Nevin,  with  his  family,  arrived  in  Mercers- 
burg, he  informs  us,  he  was  troubled  with  sundry  misgiv- 
ings concerning  the  future.  He  had  received  incorrect  im- 
pressions of  the  relations  of  Drs.  Ranch  and  Mayer,  and 
feared  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  accommodate  himself 
to  the  peculiar  life  of  the  institution.  A  few  days  sufificed 
to  remove  these  unfavorable  anticipations.  Dr.  Ranch 
received  him  with  all  the  geniality  of  his  nature,  and  his 
anxiety  was  dissipated.  From  the  beginning  there  was 
mutual  confidence  and  respect.  The  free  and  generous  na- 
ture of  Dr.  Ranch  invited  confidence  ;  and  though  Dr.  Nevin 
appeared  more  dignified  and  retiring,  the  professors  soon 
became  intimate  friends. 

Dr.  Ranch  was  at  that  time  engaged  in  passing  through 
the  press  his  book  on  "Psychology,"  by  which,  it  is  said, 


RAUCH'S   "PSYCHOLOGY."  365 

he  introduced  that  fascinating  science  to  American  stu- 
dents. The  work  was  favorably  received  and  was  soon 
introduced  as  a  text-book  into  tlie  University  of  Vermont, 
Dartmouth  College,  and  other  institutions.  To  the  mind 
of  its  author  it  was  a  mere  introduction  to  a  proposed 
series  of  books  on  moral  philosophy,  by  which  he  hoped 
to  bring  the  general  results  of  German  scholarship  to  the 
attention  of  American  readers.  This  he  believed  to  be  his 
life-mission,  and  in  seeking  to  accomplish  it  would  take 
no  rest,  so  that  he  may  be  said  literally  to  ha\'e  worked 
himself  to  death.  Speaking  of  Dr.  Rauch  at  this  period 
Dr.  Nevin  said,  many  years  afterward:^  "  I  perceived  very 
soon  that  his  learning  and  intellectual  power  were  of  a 
higher  order  altogether  than  I  had  before  felt  authorized 
to  expect ;  although  it  was  not  until  the  appearance  of 
his  '  Psychology  '  that  I  learned  to  place  him  sufficiently 
high  in  this  respect.  Here  again  it  became  clear  to  me 
that  his  proper  worth  had  not  been  rightly  understood ; 
and  I  could  not  but  look  upon  it  as  a  strange  and  interest- 
ing fact  that  the  infant  college  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church  should  have  had  placed  at  its  head,  there  in  Mer- 
cersburg — without  care  or  calculation  or  consciousness 
even  on  the  part  of  its  friends  generally — one  of  the  very 
first  minds  of  Germany,  which  under  other  circumstances 
might  well  have  been  counted  an  ornament  and  honor  to 
the  oldest  institution  in  the  land." 

That  Dr.  Rauch  held  Dr.  Nevin  in  equal  esteem  is  evi- 
dent from  the  following  letter,  written  by  him  two  weeks 
before  his  death,  to  the  late  Dr.  C.  F.  McCauley,  subse- 
quently for  many  years  pastor  of  the  Second  Reformed 
Church  of  Reading,  Pa.,  but  at  that  time  a  student  at 
Princeton: 

1  Eulogy  delivered  on  the  occasion  of  the  reinterment  of  Dr.  Rauch's  re- 
mains at  Lancaster,  1859. 


366  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [CuAr.  xiv. 

"  Mercersburg,  Pa.,  February  16,  1841. 

"  My  dear  Sir  :  If  I  had  written  you  as  often  as  I  had 
intended  doing  you  would  have  received  a  pretty  large 
mail.  My  health,  as  you  may  have  heard,  has  been  very 
poor,  and  my  debility  so  great  that  I  had  to  give  up  writ- 
ing for  a  number  of  weeks,  and  when  your  favor  arrived  I 
was  unable  to  do  anything  besides  attending  partially  to 
my  duties  in  the  seminary  and  college.  Even  at  present 
I  shall  havQ  to  confine  myself  to  merely  answering  some 
of  your  inquiries. 

"And  in  the  first  place,  I  cannot  help  expressing  my  joy 
and  heartfelt  delight  to  know  that  you  have  not  forgotten 
our  beloved  Zion,  but  are  willing  and  anxious  to  remain 
in  it  and  devote  your  talents  and  attainments  to  its  welfare. 
This  your  resolution,  my  dear  sir,  has  much  rejoiced  me ; 
not  because  I  am  much  of  a  sectarian,  but  because  I  con- 
sider our  church  as  standing  in  need  of  every  one  of  her 
sons  that  promises  well. 

"  In  the  second  place,  I  would  say  that  our  seminary 
possesses  a  man  in  Professor  Nevin  whose  talents  and 
learning  and  scientific  spirit  are  not  equaled  by  any  one 
in  this  country.  I  say  this  with  deliberateness  and  cool- 
ness. He  is  an  excellent  teacher,  constantly  active,  and 
much  experienced  in  ecclesiastical  affairs.  You  cannot  go 
through  a  more  thorough  course  in  Princeton  than  you 
can  here,  and  as  regards  ecclesiastical  history  you  will 
certainly  find  a  most  unexpected  difference  between  the 
spirit  in  which  it  is  taught  here  and  elsewhere.  I  would, 
therefore,  most  cordially  invite  you  to  come  here  and 
study  with  us.  The  tie  of  friendship  shall  then  again 
unite  us,  and  love  to  the  Saviour  and  a  common  interest 
connect  us  daily  more  closely.  I  hope  and  wish  very 
much  that  you  would  make  up  your  mind  to  enter  our 


CENTENARY   CELEBRATION.  367 

seminary  next  session.      It  is  in  a  really  excellent  state  at 
present  and  deserves  your  full  confidence. 

"  From  a  catalogue  which  I  received  lately  (from  your 
kindness  undoubtedly)  I  i^erceive  that  you  are  not  well.  I 
hope  your  illness  is  not  of  much  consequence.  Allow  me, 
however,  to  advise  you  by  all  means  to  be  cautious  and  not 
to  study  too  much.  My  experience  in  that  line  is  worth 
something".  I  have  lost  my  health  merely  because  I  have 
not  taken  exercise  enough.  May  the  Lord  bless  you  and 
soon  restore  you  to  full  health,  the  greatest  of  earthly  bless- 
ings. Any  arrangement  I  can  make  for  you  or  any  duty 
I  can  render  you  will  cheerfully  be  rendered  with  the  great- 
est pleasure  by 

"  Your  friend, 

"  F.  A.  Rauch. 

"  Mr.  Charles  McCauley." 

The  year  1841  was  in  many  respects  an  important  epoch 
in  the  history  of  the  Reformed  Church.  The  Synod  had 
resolved  to  hold  a  centenary  celebration  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  establishment  of  -the  Reformed  Church  in  this 
country,  though  no  particular  event  was  designated  as 
worthy  to  receive  special  honor.  It  was  also  resolved  to 
make  a  thank-offering"  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
to  the  cause  of  general  benevolence,  though  it  was  very 
properly  declared  to  be  "  the  primary  object  of  the  cele- 
bration to  awaken  increased  attention  to  vital  godliness, 
and  to  raise  a  more  elevated  standard  of  Christian  piety 
among  us  as  a  people."  The  celebration  "was  evidently 
observed  with  considerable  .spirit.  The  Centenary  Hymn 
was  written  by  Mrs.  Lydia  Jane  Peirson  and  set  to  music 
by  Dr.  Schneck.  Though  the  financial  results  may  not 
have  been  quite  equal  to  the  expectations  of  the  Synod, 
they  were  at  least  sufficient  to  encourage  the  church. 


368  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,  GERMAN.     [Chap.  xiv. 

It  was  at  this  season  of  rejoicing  that  the  church  was 
surprised  and  shocked  to  hear  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Rauch. 
He  died  at  Mercersburg,  March  2,  1841,  in  the  thirty-fifth 
year  of  his  age.  Though  his  health  had  for  some  time 
been  decHning,  his  final  illness  was  very  brief.  That  his 
death  was  an  immense  loss  to  the  institutions  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  cannot  be  doubted.  In  the  ten  years  which 
he  had  spent  in  America  he  had  made  himself  familiar  with 
the  English  language,  so  that  he  could  use  it  with  accuracy 
and  elegance.  This  is  evident  from  "The  Inner  Life,"  a 
selection  of  his  sermons  published  in  1856  by  one  of  his 
pupils,  the  Rev.  Dr.  E.  V.  Gerhart.  His  American  career 
appeared  to  be  just  opening  when  he  was  called  away  ;  but 
though  his  work  was  brief  its  influence  is  perennial. 

For  three  years  after  the  death  of  Dr.  Rauch  Dr.  Nevin 
had  sole  charge  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  assisted  only 
by  a  teacher  of  Hebrew.  He  also  served,  without  salary, 
as  president  of  Marshall  College,  which  became  a  flourish- 
ing institution.  His  personal  dignity,  force  of  character, 
and  earnest  piety  gave  him  a  degree  of  influence  which  is 
rarely  attained  by  any  instructor,  and  it  is  liardly  too  much 
to  say  that  in  the  institutions  his  word  was  law. 

During  this  period  Dr.  Nevin  earnestly  continued  his 
studies  in  German  theology  and  philosophy.  In  those 
days  such  subjects  were  in  America  generally  regarded 
with  great  suspicion  on  account  of  their  supposed  pre- 
vailing rationalism  ;  but  it  was  not  by  their  rationalistic 
side  that  Dr.  Nevin  was  attracted.  He  read  and  studied 
Schleiermacher,  but  insisted  that  his  grand  ideas  could  be 
"  separated  from  the  rationalism  of  the  times  in  which 
they  were  uttered,  and  held  much  more  satisfactorily  in 
accordance  with  the  doctrine  of  the  Athanasian  Creed."  ^ 
"Schleiermacher,"  he  adds,  "left  no  school  in  the  strict 

1  "Antichrist;  or,  The  Spirit  of  Sect  and  Schism,"  p.  6. 


Tiro  IDEAS.  369 

sense  of  the  word.  But  he  left  behind  him  a  vast  number 
of  proHfic  ideas,  which  have  taken  root  in  other  minds,  and 
shot  up  in  different  creations,  that  own  no  common  bond 
among  themselves,  and  no  fixed  dependence  whatever  on 
his  system  as  a  whole.  Such  men  as  Neander,  Nitzsch, 
Julius  Miiller,  Dorner,  Richard  Rothe,  Ullmann,  Umbreit, 
etc.,  all  feel  and  own  his  genial  influence,  though  in  very 
different  ways ;  just  as  the  influence  of  Coleridge  is  felt  in 
England  and  this  comitry  by  hundreds  who  have  no  other 
connection  as  members  of  a  common  school."  In  the  book 
from  which  we  have  just  quoted  Dr.  Nevin  freely  acknowl- 
edges that  two  ideas  which  run  through  his  most  impor- 
tant writings  had  been  previously  advanced  by  Schleier- 
macher.  These  ideas  are,  first,  that  the  person  of  Christ 
is  the  ultimate  fact  of  Christianity,  rather  than  his  doc- 
trine, merely,  or  work ;  and,  secondly,  that  the  supernat- 
ural life  which  this  included  comes  through  him  into 
organic  union  with  the  life  of  nature  for  the  redemption 
of  the  world.  "Can  any  one  see,"  he  adds,  "how  this 
should  remain  necessarily  wedded  to  Schleiermacher's  de- 
fective doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  and  not  acquire  its  high- 
est force  when  associated  with  the  highest  faith  of  the 
church?  " 

Coleridge,  we  think,  says  somewhere,  with  reference  to 
the  significance  of  certain  medieval  controversies,  that 
"every  man  is  born  either  a  nominalist  or  a  realist."  If 
this  statement  is  more  than  a  mere  fancy  we  shall  have 
to  recognize  Dr.  Nevin  as  by  nature  a  realist,  in  the  best 
sense  of  the  term.  To  his  mind  the  generic  possessed 
a  reality  to  which  the  individual  can  never  attain.  The 
supernatural  world  is  real ;  the  natural  is  by  its  very  con- 
stitution transitory  and  evanescent.  The  church  is  there- 
fore, primarily  considered,  not  a  mere  voluntary  associa- 
tion, but  a  divine  constitution  and  order,  as  intensely  real 


370  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERM  AX.     [Cmap.  xi\-. 

and  concrete  as  anything  which  the  eye  can  see  or  the 
hand  can  feel.  Christianity  involves  a  new  creation  in  the 
old  world  of  nature,  and  the  church  is  the  body  of  Christ, 
through  which,  as  a  medium,  he  reveals  himself  to  the  end 
of  time.  "  Are  we  not,  then,  without  escape,  held  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  organization,  the  offices,  and  the  sac- 
raments are  in  like  manner  the  forms  of  the  manifestation 
and  communication  of  the  vital  contents  of  the  church  as 
the  body  of  Christ  ?  "  ^ 

All  this,  it  may  be  said,  belongs  to  a  later  period,  when 
Dr.  Nevin's  views  were  more  fully  developed  ;  but  it  is 
very  certain  that  already  at  this  time  he  held  the  sub- 
stance of  these  doctrines.  In  order  to  comprehend  the 
field  of  subsequent  controversies  it  is,  at  any  rate,  impor- 
tant to  indicate  its  outlines. 

The  earliest  of  Dr.  Ne^an's  important  controversies  was 
directly  concerned  with  the  life  of  the  church.  Mercers- 
burg  had  been  visited  by  traveling  evangelists,  who  had 
conducted  revivals  which  were  characterized  by  remark- 
able enthusiasm  and  fervor.  The  excitement  became  in- 
tense, and  ran  into  what  Dr.  Nevin  regarded  as  unwar- 
rantable extremes.  When  the  "anxious  bench"  was  at 
last  brought  out  in  the  Reformed  Church  he  rose  at  the 
close  of  the  services  and  offered  his  solemn  protest  against 
the  adoption  of  these  "  new  measures."  In  defense  of  his 
position  he  published,  in  the  spring  of  1843,  ^  little  book 
entitled  "The  Anxious  Bench."  It  was  not,  as  it  has 
sometimes  unjustly  been  represented,  an  attack  on  re- 
vivals of  religion.  On  the  contrary,  the  author  is  careful 
to  discriminate  between  genuine  and  spurious  revivals; 
but  insists  that  a  true  revival  must  grow  out  of  tlic  life  of 
the  church,  and  must  not  be  forced  upon  it  mechanically 
from  without.      He  urges  the  German  churches  especially 

1  Dr.  S.  N.  Callender,  "  Ref.  Quarterly  Review,"  April,  1894. 


DR.   KRUMMACHEK'S   CALL.  371 

to  make  due  account  of  their  catechetical  system,  and  to 
remain  faithful  to  their  historic  life. 

"The  Anxious  Bench"  naturally  encountered  intense 
opposition.  No  less  than  six  replies  were  published ;  but 
the  book  made  its  way,  and  exerted  a  powerful  influence, 
especially  in  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  Churches.  In 
the  Reformed  Church  it  was,  with  comparatively  few  ex- 
ceptions, favorably  received,  and  may  be  said  to  have  put 
an  end  to  a  movement  which  was  foreign  to  its  life.  Its 
influence  on  tiie  Lutheran  Church  has  been  fully,  recog- 
nized and  freely  acknowledged.! 

In  January,  1843,  3-  special  meeting  of  the  Synod  was 
convened  in  Lebanon,  Pa.,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a 
Germ'an  professor  as  successor  to  Dr.  Rauch.  After  seri- 
ous consideration  it  was  resolved  to  extend  a  call  to 
Dr.  Frederick  William  Krummacher,  of  Elberfeld,  Prussia. 
As  Dr.  Krummacher  was  the  most  famous  preacher  in 
Germany  it  goes  without  saying  that  the  Synod  would 
not  have  ventured  to  extend  the  call  without  some  previ- 
ious  intimation  that  it  would  be  favorably  considered.  The 
Rev.  Drs.  Benjamin  S.  Schneck  and  Theodore  L.  Hoffe- 
.ditz  were  appointed  a  committee  "  to  convey  the  call  to 
Dr.  Krummacher,  and  by  all  suitable  representations  to 
urge  its  acceptance." 

The  visit  of  the  committee  to  Germany,  in  the  summer 
of  1843,  naturally  attracted  much  attention.  The  dele- 
gates were  kindly  received,  and  the  aff"ection  of  the  church 
of  the  fatherland  was  once  more  drawn  to  its  American 
daughter.  It  was,  however,  soon  found  that  the  proposed 
removal  of  Dr.  Krummacher  was  very  unfavorably  re- 
garded, and  the  king  of  Prussia  exerted  his  personal  influ- 
ence to  prevent  it.     After  mature  consideration  Dr.  Krum- 

1  Jacobs's  "  History  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,"  American 
Church  History  Series,  vol.  iv.,  p.  418. 


l']2  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xiv. 

macher  declined  the  call,  though  he  could  say  concerning 
it :  "  The  longer  I  considered  it  the  more  did  I  feel  its  in- 
creasing attraction."      In  his  letter  of  declination  he  said: 

**  I  stand  before  you,  my  soul  deeply  moved,  tendering 
you  my  hand  with  the  double  assurance  that  I  lay  down 
the  honor  conferred  upon  me  by  your  call  at  the  feet  of 
Him  to  whom  all  honor  is  due,  and  that  in  future  I  shall 
feel  myself  to  be  one  of  your  number ;  and  that  so  long  as  I 
breathe  I  shall  not  cease  to  bear  the  interest  of  your  beloved 
church,  with  a  praying  heart  before  the  throne  of  God." 

The  American  commissioners  naturally  felt  disappointed 
by  the  declination  of  Krummacher,  and  were  unwilling  to 
return  home  without  in  some  way  accomplishing  their 
purpose.  They  accordingly  appealed  to  the  leaders  of  the 
church  in  Germany  to  recommend  a  suitable  candidate  for 
the  American  professorship.  It  was  felt  to  be  important 
that  the  person  selected  should  be  a  man  of  high  culture, 
who  could  represent  German  theology  in  its  best  aspects, 
and  who  was  not  too  old  to  accommodate  himself  to  new 
conditions  and  to  acquire  a  foreign  language.  After  fre- 
quent consultations  the  theologians — prominent  among 
whom  were  Neander,  Julius  Midler,  and  Krummacher — 
agreed  to  recommend  Dr.  Philip  Schaff,  a  privat-doccnt  in 
the  University  of  Berlin,  who,  apart  from  other  qualifica- 
tions, was  "a  republican  Swiss"  and  might  reasonably  be 
expected  to  feel  at  home  in  a  republican  country.  It  was 
on  the  ground  of  this  recommendation  that  the  commis- 
sioners sought  out  Dr.  Schaff  in  Berlin  and  made  him 
acquainted  with  their  wishes.  He  was  at  that  time  but 
twenty-four  years  old,  and  though  his  literary  work  had 
already  attracted  attention  his  public  career  had  hardly 
begun.  Recognizing  the  fact  that  America  presented  an 
opportunity  for  extended  usefulness  which  is  but  rarely 
afforded  by  the  fatherland,  he   encouraged   the  commis- 


DR.  SCI/AFF'S  ELECTION.  373 

sioners,  and  they  returned  to  America  with  the  assurance  that 
their  mission  to  Europe  had  not  proved  a  failure.  In  ac- 
cordance with  their  recommendation  Dr.  Schaff  was  elected 
to  the  professorship  of  historical  and  exegetical  theology  in 
the  theological  seminary  at  Mercersburg,  by  the  Synod  con- 
vened at  Winchester,  Va.,  on  the  12th  of  October,  1843. 

The  newly  elected  professor  came  to  America  in  the  fol- 
lowing year.  Before  leaving  Germany  he  had  preached  in 
Elberfeld  a  sermon  in  which  he  took  occasion  to  speak  at 
some  length  of  the  moral  destitution  of  the  field  in  which 
he  was  called  to  labor.  With  much  freedom  he  described 
certain  classes  of  emigrants  who  might  be  said  to  have  left 
their  country  for  their  country's  good,  carrying  with  them 
to  the  New  World  dispositions  unfriendly  to  all  right  order 
in  the  state  and  all  true  religion  in  the  church.  1  The  pub- 
lication of  this  sermon  in  Krummacher's  "  Palmblatter  " 
was  perhaps  ill  advised,  as  it  was  immediately  conveyed 
to  America,  and  garbled  extracts  were  published  in  the 
German  political  papers.  As  a  natural  result  many  of  the 
foreign  Germans  in  this  'country  were  greatly  excited,  and 
in  some  places  indignation  meetings  were  held  to  protest 
against  what  was  supposed  to  have  been  a  misrepresenta- 
tion of  German  life  in  America.  The  rationalists  Were 
especially  outspoken  in  their  denunciations,  knowing  that 
Dr.  Schaff  did  not  sympathize  with  them  in  their  theologi- 
cal tendencies.  For  this  reason,  however,  the  Reformed 
Church  was  encouraged,  feeling  assured  by  this  very  oppo- 
sition that  it  was  not  unwittingly  introducing  a  rationalist. 

In  October,  1844,  the  Synod  met  in  Allentown,  Pa.  At 
this  meeting  Dr.  Schaff  appeared,  and  according  to  ancient 
custom  was  examined  with  a  view  to  his  admission  to  mem- 
bership. The  following  was  the  report  of  the  committee, 
as  adopted  by  Synod  and  included  in  the  minutes : 

1  Nevin's  Introduction  to  "  Tlie  Principle  of  Protestantism,"  p.  8. 


374  ^^^   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xiv. 

"  The  committee  appointed  to  hold  a  tentamcn  with  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Schaff  report  that  they  have  had  satisfactory  evi- 
dence of  his  being  in  regular  ecclesiastical  connection  as  a 
minister  with  the  Evangelical  Church  of  Prussia,  having 
been  ordained  in  the  Reformed  church  of  Elberfeld  last 
April.  They  have  satisfied  themselves,  also,  that  he  was 
born  in  the  bosom  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  continues 
to  be  true  to  its  faith  as  exhibited  in  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism ;  and  that  he  is  prepared,  moreover,  to  conform  to 
the  constitution  and  order  of  the  same  church  as  estab- 
lished in  this  country.  They  recommend,  therefore,  that 
he  be  received  as  a  member  of  this  Synod." 

On  the  25th  of  October — two  days  after  the  adjourn- 
ment of  Synod — Dr.  Schaff  was  inaugurated  in  the  First 
Reformed  Church  of  Reading,  Pa.  The  theme  of  his  ad- 
dress was  "  The  Principle  of  Protestantism."  The  discourse 
was  carefully  prepared,  and  was,  in  fact,  a  full  discussion 
of  the  doctrine  which  is  known  as  historical  development. 
In  the  consideration  of  this  theme  views  were  advanced 
which,  however  well  known  in  Europe,  were  by  many 
Americans  regarded  as  new  and  revolutionary.  The  main 
question  of  the  age  was  declared  to  concern  the  nature  of 
the  church  in  its  relation  to  the  world  and  individual 
Christians ;  and  the  divine  life  which  flows  through  all 
her  members  was  held  to  constitute  her  a  divine  organism 
which  is  a  proper  object  of  faith.  "The  Reformation  is 
the  greatest  act  of  the  Catholic  Church  itself,  the  full  ripe 
fruit  of  all  its  better  tendencies,  particularly  of  the  deep 
spiritual  law  conflicts  of  the  Middle  Period,  which  were  as 
a  schoolmaster  toward  the  Protestant  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion."^ 

These  utterances  appeared  new  and  strange,  and  many 
shook  their  heads  in  doubt  as  to  their  meaning.  Dr.  SchafT 
1  "  The  Principle  of  Protestantism,"  p.  181. 


THE   INAUGURAL   ADDRESS.  375 

himself  remarked,  less  than  a  year  before  his  death :  "  I 
said  exactly  what  I  had  been  taught  by  my  German  pro- 
fessors, and  was  not  aware  that  my  audience  was  not  pre- 
pared to  receive  it." 

The  inaugural  address  was  enlarged  by  its  author  and 
published  in  German  as  a  volume  of  nearly  two  hundred 
pages.  Dr.  Nevin  translated  and  published  it  in  English, 
with  an  Introduction  which  was  if  anything  more  bold  and 
aggressive  than  the  original.  It  was  in  its  English  form 
that  it  attracted  general  attention  and  became  the  occa- 
sion of  a  controversy  which  continued  for  years. 

In  those  days  the  conflict  between  Protestants  and 
Roman  Catholics  was  intense,  and  there  were  many  pub- 
lic discussions.  In  these  discussions  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph 
F.  Berg,  pastor  of  the  First  Reformed  Church  of  Phila- 
delphia, had  taken  the  part  of  a  leader,  and  he  was  uni- 
versally recognized  as  a  powerful  controversialist.  "  The 
Principle  of  Protestantism  "  contained  statements  which 
he  regarded  as  contrary  to  Protestant  doctrine,  and  it 
was  mainly  through  his  influence  that  the  Classis  of  Phila- 
delphia was  induced  to  adopt  a  series  of  resolutions  de- 
manding an  investigation  by  Synod.  When  the  subject 
came  before  that  body,  at  its  meeting  in  York,  Pa.,  in 
October,  1845,  it  was  discussed  for  four  days.  Though 
not  technically  a  trial,  it  practically  amounted  to  the  same 
thing,  and  it  has  been  generally  known  as  "  Dr.  Schaff''s 
trial  for  heresy."  The  result  was  a  triumphant  vindica- 
tion.of  the  address  on  all  the  subjects  to  which  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Synod  had  been  directed.  "  If  it  had  been 
otherwise,"  said  Dr.  Schaff,  "  I  would  have  gone  right 
back  to  Berlin." 

Though  the  Synod  had  decided  in  favor  of  the  professors, 
the  "  Mercersburg  controversy"  had  hardly  begun.  The 
two  professors,  Drs.  Nevin  and  Schaff,  however,  labored 


376  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chai'.  xiv. 

in  perfect  harmony,  and  their  united  influence  extended 
far  beyond  the  Hmits  of  the  Reformed  Church. 

In  1846  Dr.  Nevin  pubhshed  "The  Mystical  Presence: 
A  Vindication  of  the  Reformed  or  Calvinistic  Doctrine  of 
the  Holy  Eucharist  " — a  book  which  has  been  held  to 
mark  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  American  theology.  The 
writer  held  that  the  American  church  had,  in  large  part 
at  least,  fallen  away  from  the  sacramental  doctrine  of  the 
sixteenth  century ;  and  that  to  study  Calvin's  doctrine  of 
the  spiritual  real  presence  of  Christ  in  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  the  best  remedy  against  the  rationalistic  tendencies  of 
the  age.  The  learning  and  ability  of  the  book  were  never 
doubted ;  but  some  of  its  historical  positions  were  ques- 
tioned by  Dr.  Charles  Hodge,  of  Princeton,  and  this  led  to 
a  controversy  in  which  several  other  eminent  divines  par- 
ticipated. Though  we  have  no  room  to  follow  the  argu- 
ment at  length  it  may  be  said  that,  so  far  as  the  German 
Reformed  Church  was  concerned,  the  purpose  of  the  book 
was  fully  accomplished,  and  that  the  sacramental  position 
of  the  church  has  ever  since  been  decidedly  Calvinistic. 

In  1847  Dr.  Nevin  published  "The  History  and  Genius 
of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  " — a  book  which,  though  long 
out  of  print,  is  still  regarded  as  the  best  history  of  that 
symbol  of  faith.  In  the  following  year  appeared  a  tract 
entitled  "Antichrist ;  or,  The  Spirit  of  Sect  and  Schism  " — 
a  powerful  protest  against  the  tendency  to  disintegration, 
which  is  tlie  most  evident  danger  of  Protestantism.  In 
the  same  year  (1848)  Dr.  Schaff"  began  the  publication  of 
"  Der  Kirchenfreund,"  a  monthly  magazine  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  the  German  churches  of  America.  Among 
the  contributors  were  some  of  the  most  eminent  ministers 
of  the  Reformed,  Lutheran,  and  Moravian  Churches,  and 
the  publication  was  in  its  day  the  best  exponent  of  Ger- 
man scholarship  and  religious  life  in  this  country. 


"RIEKCERSBURG   REVIEW."  377 

In  1848  the  alumni  of  Marshall  College  resolved  to  estab- 
lish a  quarterly  review,  in  which  elaborate  articles  could 
be  preserved  in  a  permanent  form.  This  publication  was 
entitled  the  "  Mercersburg  Review,"  and  Dr.  Nevin  was 
until  1853  its  editor  and  chief  contributor.  In  this  re- 
view appeared  his  most  important  articles,  and  it  is  in  its 
successive  volumes  that  his  theological  history  must  be 
studied.  Here  he  appears  as  a  great  thinker  and  power- 
ful controversialist  who  never  allows  personal  considera- 
tions to  interfere  with  what  he  believes  to  be  the  truth. 
He  was  accused  of  Romanizing  tendencies  ;  but  though  his 
mind  was  at  one  time  greatly  exercised  by  "  the  church 
question,"  it  does  not  seem  possible  that  his  way  of  think- 
ing could  ever  have  led  him  to  Rome.  His  firm  faith  in 
historical  development  stood  in  the  way  of  such  retrogres- 
sion. In  his  controversy  with  Dr.  Orestes  A.  Brownson 
(1850)  he  presented  an  argument  against  the  exclusive 
claims  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  which  his  oppo- 
nents freely  recognized  as  unusually  strong.  It  was  for 
his  articles  on  "Early  Christianity"  and  "Cyprian"  that 
he  was  especially  charged  with  Romanizing  tendencies; 
but  his  purpose  in  writing  these  articles  has  been  strangely 
misconceived.  It  was  his  intention  to  show  that  the  Ox- 
ford Tractarians,  in  endeavoring  to  repristinate  the  church 
of  the  fourth  or  fifth  century,  were  taking  one  of  the  many 
roads  that  lead  to  Rome.  In  the  elaboration  of  his  theme 
he  showed  that  there  is  no  such  chasm  as  has  been  imagined 
between  the  church  of  the  fifth  century  and  the  succeed- 
ing middle  age,  and  he  was  therefore  supposed  by  many 
to  be  writing  in  defense  of  Rome.  As  for  himself,  he  de- 
clared his  adherence  to  the  theory  of  historical  develop- 
ment, "  which  assumes  the  possibility  and  necessity  of  a 
transition  on  the  part  of  the  church  through  various  stages 
of  form,  as  in  all  growth,  for  the  very  purpose  of  bring- 


378  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Cka-.  xiv, 

ing  out  more  and  more  fully  the  true  inward  sense  of  this 
life,  which  has  always  been  one  and  the  same  from  the 
beginning." 

During  this  period  Dr.  Schaff  wrote  his  "  History  of  the 
Apostolic  Church,"  which  appeared  in  German  in  185  i, 
and  was  subsequently  translated,  under  the  direction  of  the 
author,  by  the  Rev.  E.  D.  Yeomans.  The  same  writer, 
during  his  connection  with  the  seminary  at  Mercersburg, 
published  a  "German  Hymn-Book  "  (1859);  "America: 
Its  Political  and  Religious  Character  "  (1854) ;  "Germany: 
Its  Universities  and  Divines"  (1857);  "History  of  the 
Christian  Church  of  the  First  Three  Centuries"  (1858); 
besides  various  minor  tracts  and  essays. 

The  teachings  of  the  professors  at  Mercersburg,  and  of 
their  coadjutors,  came  to  be  known  as  "  Mercersburg  the- 
ology " — a  term  which  was  at  first  employed  by  its  oppo- 
nents, but  was  afterward  tacitly  accepted  by  its  friends. 
The  latter  preferred  that  their  theology  should  be  called 
"  Christological  "  or  "  Christocentric,"  because  it  in  a  spe- 
cial way  presented  the  person  of  Christ  as  the  center  of 
the  Christian  faith.  It  was  not  an  organized  system,  but 
rather  a  movement  in  the  life  of  the  church,  and  conse- 
quently left  room  for  extreme  utterances  on  the  part  of 
professed  friends,  which  did  more  harm  than  the  attacks  of 
its  most  violent  opponents.  As  is  usual  under  such  con- 
ditions, some  of  the  disciples  became  more  radical  than 
their  masters,  and  advanced  theories  which  must  now  be 
characterized  as  extravagant. 

That  the  Reformed  Church  suffered  losses  during  the 
Mercersburg  controversy  is  readily  acknowledged.  Two 
members  of  the  Classis  of  Philadelphia,  on  the  ostensible 
ground  of  the  heresies  of  Mercersburg,  connected  them- 
selves with  other  Protestant  denomit^ations,  and  one  of 
the  oldest  congregations — the  church  at  Germantown — 

\ 


CHURCH  LITERATURE.  379 

was  alienated  from  the  church.  On  the  other  hand,  there 
were  several  ministers  and  laymen  who  became  disturbed 
in  mind  by  studying  the  church  question,  and  finally  found 
their  way  to  the  Church  of  Rome.  As  a  whole,  however, 
we  do  not  doubt  that  the  Mercersburg  movement  was  a 
genuine  advance  in  the  life  of  the  church.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  there  was  never  at  any  time  the  least 
inclination  to  change  the  ancient  standards  of  faith.  On 
the  contrary,  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  was  honored  with 
a  long  series  of  literary  tributes,  beginning,  perhaps,  with 
Dr.  Nevin's  "  History,"  and  culminating,  in  1863,  in  the 
publication  of  a  splendid  tercentenary  edition  in  three 
languages.  In  this  series  an  important  place  must  be  ac- 
corded to  the  large  Commentary  on  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism, translated  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  W.  Williard. 

A  marked  characteristic  of  the  Mercersburg  period  was 
fondness  for  historical  research.  This  is.  not  surprising 
when  it  is  remembered  that  it  was  at  this  time  that  Dr. 
Schaff,  in  the  fullness  of  youthful  strength  and  enthusi- 
asm, delivered  the  lectures  which  formed  the  groundwork 
of  his  "History  of  the  Church" — a  work  which  in  the 
Congratulatory  Address  to  its  author  by  the  University 
of  Berlin,  in  1893,  is  termed  "  the  most  notable  monument 
of  universal  historical  learning  produced  by  the  school  of 
Neander."  The  narrower  field  of  denominational  history 
was,  however,  by  no  means  neglected.  About  this  time 
Dr.  Henry  Harbaugh  undertook  the  task  of  continuing 
the  minute  researches  of  Dr.  Mayer,  and  finally  produced 
"  The  Lives  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Reformed  Church  " — a 
marvelous  work  when  we  consider  the  difficulties  under 
which  it  was  accomplished.  All  this  was,  however,  but 
preliminary  to  the  work  of  the  pastors,  who  in  numberless 
monographs  related  the  history  of  their  Classes  and  con- 
gregations. 


■380  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xiv. 

We  have  no  desire  to  extenuate  the  faults  of  the  Mer- 
cersburg  movement,  nor  to  undervalue  the  losses  which 
the  church  was  made  to  suffer.  It  involved,  no  doubt,  a 
great  "  shaking  of  dry  bones,"  but  that  the  general  result 
was  beneficial  we  do  not  doubt.  We  have  not,  indeed,  as 
yet  spoken  of  the  liturgical  movement,  which  may  be  said 
to  represent  Mercersburg  theology  in  its  practical  applica- 
tion ;  but  this  subject  can  be  more  conveniently  treated  in 
a  subsequent  chapter. 

In  1853  Marshall  College  was  removed  to  Lancaster 
and  consolidated  with  Franklin  College,  under  the  title  of 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College.  The  Lutheran  interest  in 
Franklin  College  had  previously  been  purchased  by  the 
Reformed,  at  an  exact  valuation  amounting  to  $17,169.61  ; 
and  the  interest  which  was  supposed  to  belong  to  "  the 
outside  community  "  was  at  the  same  time  formally  trans- 
ferred to  the  Reformed  Church.  In  this  way  the  endow- 
ment of  Franklin  College  remained  intact,  and  with  the 
contributions  received  from  the  churches  it  became  pos- 
sible to  organize  a  literary  institution  of  advanced  grade. 

Dr.  Nevin  resigned  his  professorship  in  1851,  but  Dr. 
Schaff  remained  in  Mercersburg  until  1865.  Bernard  C. 
Wolff,  D.D.,  held  the  chair  of  systematic  theology  from 
1852  to  1864,  and  was  succeeded  by  Henry  Harbaugh, 
D.D.,  who  occupied  the  position  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1867.  Elnathan  E.  Higbee,  D.D.,  was  pro- 
fessor of  church  history  and  exegesis  from  1865  to  187 1. 
In  1868  Emanuel  V.  Gerhart,  D.D.,  was  chosen  to  fill  the 
place  vacated  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Harbaugh.  In  1857  a 
theological  tutorship  was  established,  partly  on  the  basis  of 
a  fund  invested  in  Germany,  the  gift  of  Baron  Von  Beth- 
mann-Hollweg,  and  partly  endowed  by  gifts  from  individ- 
uals and  Classes.  This  tutorship  has  since  been  raised  to 
a  full  professorship. 


REMOVAL.  381 

After  the  removal  of  Marshall  College,  Mercersburg  ap- 
peared more  than  ever  isolated  from  the  social  life  of  the 
church.  Its  position  near  "the  border,"  during  the  Civil 
War,  rendered  it  especiall)/  unsuitable  to  be  the  location 
of  a  theological  institution,  and  for  some  time  the  seminary 
building  was  actually  occupied  as  a  military  hospital.  It 
was  felt,  too,  that  the  seminary  and  college  ought  not  to 
be  permanently  separated ;  and  the  seminary  was  accord- 
ingly, in  1 87 1,  removed  to  Lancaster,  Pa.,  where  both  in- 
stitutions have  since  been  successfully  conducted. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

THE    CHURCH    IN   THE    WEST. 

The  pioneers  in  the  ministry  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
the  West  are  deserving  of  high  honor.  They  were  pious 
men  who  had  heard  th.e  touching  appeals  of  settlers  on  the 
frontier,  and  had  started  out  of  their  own  accord  to  bear 
them  the  comfort  of  the  gospel.  Jacob  Christman,  John 
Jacob  la  Rose,  and  Sam.uel  Weyberg,  who  began  their 
labors  in  the  West  in  1803  and  1804,  had  all  been  pastors 
in  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  may  be  supposed  to 
have  been  well  experienced  in  missionary  work.  It  was 
not  until  1 81 2  that  Synod  resolved  that  "certain  ministers 
be  sent  into  the  Western  country  to  visit  the  members  of 
our  church  residing  there ;  and  that  a  collection  be  taken 
up  in  each  congregation  for  theirsupport."  In  accordance 
with  this  action  the  Rev.  John  William  Dechant  began  his 
labors  in  the  State  of  Ohio  in  18 16.  Thomas  Winters  was 
ordained  in  18 19,  and  became  an  energetic  laborer.  It  is 
said  that  at  one  time  his  pastoral  field  extended  over  seven 
counties.  Other  eminent  pioneers  were  John  P.  Mahnen- 
schmidt,  George  Weiss,  and  Benjamin  Faust.  In  1820  it 
was  found  possible  to  organize  a  Classis  of  Ohio,  consisting 
of  five  ministers,  fifty  congregations,  and  about  eighteen 
hundred  communicants.  Four  years  later  this  Classis,  at 
its  meeting  at  New  Philadelphia,  O.,  resolved  itself  into 
the  "  Evangelical  Reformed  Synod  of  Ohio."  By  this  time 
the  number  of  ministers  had  reached  thirteen.      Until  the 

382 


THE   SYNOD    OF   OHIO.  383 

founding  of  more  recent  Synods  this  body  was  popularly 
known  as  the  Western  Synod,  for  its  limits  soon  extended 
beyond  the  State  of  Ohio.  Similarly  the  "  mother  Synod  " 
in  the  East  remained  for  many  years  the  "  Synod  of  the 
Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States,"  but  everybody 
called  it  the  Eastern  Synod,  as  it  is  officially  termed  at 
present. 

The  occasion  which  induced  the  church  in  the  West  to 
separate  from  the  parent  Synod  was  almost  identical  with 
that  which  had  led  the  latter,  in  1793,  to  declare  itself  in- 
dependent of  the  church  of  Holland.  In  both  cases  the 
superior  authority  regarded  the  ordination  of  ministers  as 
its  special  prerogative.  The  Classis  of  Northampton,  Pa., 
had  in  1823  applied  to  Synod  for  permission  to  examine 
a  candidate  and,  "  if  found  qualified,  to  ordain  him  to  the 
gospel  ministry."  The  Synod,  however,  declined  the  re- 
quest, and  officially  declared  that  "  no  candidate  shall  in 
future  be  examined  and  ordained  except  by  Synod."  To 
the  Classis  of  Ohio  this  action  was  peculiarly  objection- 
able. There  were  three  bright  young  men — David  Win- 
ters, Jacob  Descombes,  and  John  Pence — who  had  applied 
for  admission  to  the  ministry,  but  had  at  the  same  time 
insisted  that  they  were  too  poor  to  bear  the  expense  of  a 
journey  "across  the  mountains."  What  was  to  be  done? 
The  churches  were  all  poor,  and  to  raise  the  money  for 
traveling-expenses  was  not  to  be  thought  of.  At  last  the 
Classis  cut  the  knot  by  declaring  itself  a  Synod,  and  the 
young  men  were  at  once  ordained.  The  new  Synod  at 
the  same  time  somewhat  complacently  announced  that 
"the  business  of  the  church  can  be  as  satisfactorily  trans- 
acted in  Ohio  as  in  Pennsylvania."  A  few  years  later, 
when  the  Eastern  Synod  had  granted  to  its  Classes  the 
privilege  which  it  had  previously  withheld,  the  Synod 
of  Ohio   was  several  times  invited  to   resume   its  former 


384  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xv. 

position  as  a  Classis ;  but  it  had  in  the  meantime  tasted 
the  sweets  of  independent  authority,  and  was  unwilling  to 
accept  a  subordinate  position. 

The  Western  Synod  at  once  professed  its  unalterable 
attachment  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  the  Heidelberg 
Catechism,  and  promised  to  observe  all  the  ancient  ordi- 
nances and  usages  of  the  church.  There  was,  therefore, 
no  doctrinal  controversy  between  the  Synods,  and  from 
the  beginning  ministers  were  dismissed  from  one  body 
to  the  other  without  hesitation.  In  1842  the  two  Synods 
agreed  on  a  modus  vivendi,  and  the  Western  adopted  the 
constitution  of  the  Eastern.  A  plan  of  correspondence  by 
delegates  was  adopted,  and  the  statistics  of  one  Synod  al- 
ways appeared  in  the  minutes  of  the  other.  This  arrange- 
ment was  continued  until,  by  the  organization  of  the  pres- 
ent General  Synod,  it  became  unnecessary. 

That  this  peaceful  condition  was  fortunate,  inasmuch  as 
it  rendered  subsequent  union  possible,  will  not  be  denied ; 
but  it  might  certainly  have  been  better  if  the  East  and 
West  had  been  organically  united.  No  doubt  the  separation 
interfered  with  the  work  of  home  missions,  for  there  were 
many  people  in  the  East  who  feared  that  the  two  sections 
would  finally  be  alienated.  It  is  marvelous,  under  the 
circumstances,  that  they  did  not  drift  farther  apart. 

Though  the  irregular  organization  of  the  Synod  of  Ohio 
may  have  been  to  some  extent  justified  by  urgent  neces- 
sity, it  did  not  at  first  appear  a  promising  undertaking. 
The  members  were  pious  men,  mild  in  disposition,  and 
not  particularly  well  qualified  to  bring  order  out  of  the 
confusion  which  then  prevailed.  In  several  cities  ration- 
alists had  become  numerous,  and  some  of  these  seem  to 
have  taken  a  mean  pleasure  in  annoying  these  orthodox 
pastors.  On  several  occasions  they  sent  the  Synod  books 
full  of  disguised  infideHty,  accompanied  by  an  apparently 


DR.  J.   G.  BUETTNER.  385 

respectful  request  for  a  judgment  with  regard  to  their  con- 
tents. It  does  not  appear  that  the  Synod  ever  fell  into 
the  trap.  On  the  other  hand,  the  wildest  forms  of  sec- 
tarianism were  rampant,  and  it  sometimes  happened  that 
pastors  and  people  were  swept  away  by  prevailing  excite- 
ment. On  one  occasion  the  Synod  excluded  three  of  its 
members  on  some  such  ground,  though  we  do  not  know  of 
what  particular  form  of  fanaticism  they  were  guilty.  In 
1837  the  Classis  of  West  Pennsylvania,  which  had  hitherto 
been  connected  with  the  Synod  of  the  United  States,  trans- 
ferred its  membership  to  the  Synod  of  Ohio,  and  the  lat- 
ter became  a  stronger  and  more  efiticient  body.  The  most 
discouraging  feature  remained  the  fact  that  the  charges 
were  widely  scattered,  and  that  it  was  difficult  to  bring 
the  members  together  at  synodical  meetings.  In  1839 
an  attempt  was  made  to  remedy  this  evil  by  dividing  the 
Synod  into  three  distinct  Synods  which  were  to  meet 
annually,  a  General  Convention  being  held  triennially. 
This  arrangement  did  not  prove  satisfactory  and  was  in 
three  years  abandoned. 

In  1846  a  number  of  German  ministers  organized  a  body 
which  was  termed  the  "  German  Independent  Synod  of 
Ohio  "  ;  but  after  six  years  of  independent  existence  they 
returned  to  their  former  allegiance. 

In  1838  an  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  theological 
seminary  at  Canton,  O.  The  Rev.  J.  G.  Buettner,  Ph.D., 
a  well-educated  German,  had  become  pastor  of  several 
congregations  near  that  place,  and  it  occurred  to  Synod 
to  secure  his  services  for  the  instruction  of  candidates  for 
the  ministry.  He  was  accordingly  elected  professor  of  the- 
ology, the  Synod  increasing  by  a  few  hundred  dollars  his 
salary  as  pastor  and  providing  a  lecture-room.  Though 
we  know  little  about  him,  it  is  plain  that  he  was  a  man 
of  ability  and  earnestness.      He  published  a  little  book  on 


386  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xv. 

the  Reformation  and  was  prominent  in  controversies  with 
the  rationahsts.  By  his  colleagues  in  the  ministry  he  was 
regarded  with  extraordinary  reverence,  and  the  students 
whom  he  prepared  were  loud  in  his  praises.  He  seems, 
however,  to  have  been  unable  to  adapt  himself  to  Ameri- 
can life,  and  in  1839  resigned  his  charge  and  returned  to 
Germany.     Subsequently  he  published  a  book  on  America. 

Nine  years  later,  in  1848,  an  attempt  was  made  to  es- 
tablish a  theological  seminary  at  Columbus,  O.,  and  the 
Rev.  A.  P.  Freeze  was  elected  professor;  but  he  soon  re- 
signed. At  last,  in  1850,  the  Synod  founded  a  theologi- 
cal seminary  and  Heidelberg  College,  at  Tiffin,  and  the 
Rev.  E.  V.  Gerhart  was  chosen  professor  of  theology. 

In  its  earlier  history  the  Western  Synod  had  been  mainly 
occupied  with  questions  of  practical  church  life.  There  had 
been  intense  controversies  concerning  "  the  evils  of  formal- 
ism and  fanaticism."  ^  In  the  course  of  time  these  con- 
flicts moderated,  and  general  church  life  began  to  appear. 
In  1842  there  was  general  reconstruction;  the  S}'nod  was 
divided  into  Classes,  according  to  the  Eastern  fashion,  and 
in  the  following  year  measures  were  inaugurated  for  a 
Triennial  Convention  between  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Synods. 

About  this  time  several  of  the  early  graduates  of  the 
institutions  at  Mercersburg  began  to  labor  in  the  Western 
field,  and  their  influence  was  soon  extensively  felt.  Not 
to  consider  questions  of  precedence,  we  may  mention  such 
men.  as  E.  V.  Gerhart,  Moses  Kieffer,  Jeremiah  H.  Good, 
Herman  Rust,  and  George  W.  Williard,  all  of  whom  were 
at  different  times  professors  in  the  institutions  at  Tiffin. 
That  they  experienced  great  difficulty  in  building  up  these 
institutions  is  very  evident.  There  were  no  large  contri- 
butions to  the  endowment,  and  there  were  seasons  of  actual 
1  Dr.  I.  H.  Rciter,  "  Reformed  Quarterly  Review,"  1864,  p.  164. 


GERMAN  IMMIGRATION.  387 

privation.  The  absolute  necessity  of  the  times  was  the 
education  of  young  men  for  the  ministry,  and  to  this  end 
the  leaders  of  the  church  stretched  every  nerve.  It  was, 
in  fact,  the  work  of  home  missions  which  appealed  most 
loudly  for  aid,  and  for  its  successful  prosecution  the  great 
want  was  a  well-educated  and  self-sacrificing  ministry. 

The  large  German  immigration  to  the  Western  States 
demanded  increasing  attention.  Hitherto  most  of  the 
members  of  the  church  had  been  natives  of  the  Eastern 
States,  and  the  German  churches  had  laid  more  stress  on 
simplicity  in  preaching  than  on  elegance  of  style  or  even 
on  grammatical  accuracy.  A  few  pastors  had,  indeed, 
been  born  and  educated  in  the  fatherland,  but  in  the 
course  of  years  they  had  accommodated  themselves  to 
the  prevailing  sentiment,  and  some  of  them  preached  in 
English  as  well  as  German.  The  American  pastors  now 
bravely  undertook  the  work  of  preaching  to  newly  formed 
European  settlements,  and  some  of  them  were  very  suc- 
cessful ;  but  it  was  soon  found  that  a  new  kind  of  work 
was  generally  required.  The  Synod  was  anjjious  to  meet 
this  want,  and  in  1861  elected  Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Ebrard,  of 
Erlangen,  Germany,  to  a  professorship  at  Tiffin,  believing 
him  to  be  the  man  most  capable  of  organizing  its  German 
work  on  thoroughly  Reformed  principles.  Dr.  Ebrard  de- 
clined the  call  on  the  ground  of  impaired  health  and  ad- 
vancing 5'-ears.  Fortunately,  however,  there  were  already 
at  work  in  this  country  several  ministers  of  German  birth 
and  education,  who  took  up  the  work  at  this  point  and 
carried  it  forward  to  its  present  important  position. 

The  relations,  of  the  Eastern  and  Western  Synods  gradu- 
ally became  more  intimate.  In  1844  the  Western  Synod 
sent  delegates  to  a  Triennial  Convention  in  which  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  and  the  two  German  Reformed 
Synods    were    represented.      The   convention   was   purely 


388  THE   REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAX.      ICw.w.  x\. 

advisory,  but  accomplished  an  important  purpose  in  pre- 
paring the  way  for  better  things.  Though  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  withdrew  after  the  second  meeting,  the 
German  Synods,  having  thus  been  brought  into  closer 
contact,  were  unwilling  to  separate,  and  the  convention 
was  continued  in  a  modified  form  until  it  was  superseded, 
in  1863,  by  the  organization  of  a  General  Synod. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

CHURCH    WORK. 

D.URING  the  period  of  the  two  Synods  there  was  decided 
advancement  in  every  department  of  Christian  activity. 
At  first,  it  is  true,  these  departments  were  not  completely 
organized  ;  and  it  may  be  remarked  as  characteristic  cff  the 
period  that  the  earliest  periodical  publication,  except  the 
minutes  of  Synod,  was  edited  by  the  professors  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  and  published  by  the  Board  of  Missions. 

In  1828  Dr.  Lewis  Mayer  began  at  Carlisle  the  publi- 
cation of  a  monthly  "  Magazine  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church."  Three  years  later  this  magazine  was  transferred 
to  York,  published  semi-monthly,  and  named  the  "  Mes- 
senger of  the  German  Reformed  Church."  In  1835  it 
was  removed  to  Chambersburg,  where  it  continued  to 
appear  until  its  final  removal  to  Philadelphia.  As  this 
paper  was  the  chief  organ  of  the  church  during  the  most 
interesting  period  of  its  history,  it  naturally  receives  more 
attention  in  this  volume  than  can  be  given  to  more  recent 
periodicals. 

The  earliest  German  church  papers  were  the  result  of 
private  enterprise.  The  "  Evangelische  Zeitung "  was 
founded  by  Dr.  Samuel  Helffenstein  in  1832;  but  it  soon 
passed  out  of  his  hands,  and  in  1833  was  formally  dis- 
owned by  Synod.  In  1834  Dr.  D.  Zacharias  began  the 
publication  of  "  Der  Herold,"  but  it  was  soon  discontinued 

389 


390  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [CiiAi'.  xvi.  . 

for  want  of  patronage.  In  the  two  following  years  German 
papers  were  successively  founded  by  Drs.  B.  S.  Schneck  and 
J.  C.  Guldin.  In  1837  these  private  publications  were  with- 
drawn and  the  "  Christliche  Zeitschrift  "  took  their  place. 
The  title  of  this  paper  was  subsequently  changed  to  "  Die 
Reformirte  Kirchenzeilung " ;  and  having  been  united 
with  the  "  Evangelist  "  it  is  now  published  at  Cleveland,  O., 
and  is  the  principal  organ  of  the  German  church  of  the 
West. 

In  1840  the  Synod  resolved  to  found  a  printing  estab- 
lishment at  Chambersburg,  Pa.  In  1844  the  Board  of 
Publication  was  organized  for  the  special  purpose  of  tak- 
ing charge  of  this  interest.  In  consequence,  it  is  believed, 
of  the  fact  that  it  had  no  responsible  head,  the  establish- 
ment soon  became  financially  involved,  and  in  1848  the 
Synod  resolved  to  discontinue  the  work.  The  debt  was 
large,  but  the  Synod  pledged  itself  to  pay  the  entire 
amount.  This  promise,  however,  could  not  pay  the  notes 
that  were  maturing  in  the  banks,  and  the  affairs  of  the 
establishment  seemed  utterly  hopeless.  At  this  time 
the  Rev.  Moses  Kieffer,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Hagers- 
town,  Md.,  proposed  to  Benjamin  S.  Schneck  and  Samuel 
R.  Fisher — both  of  whom  had  been  previously  engaged 
in  the  literary  work  of  the  establishment — the  formation  of 
a  company  to  carry  on  the  publishing  operations  of  the 
church.  The  three  ministers  thus  associated  were  sub- 
sequently known  as  the  firm  of  M.  Kieffer  &  Co.,  but 
Dr.  Fisher  was  the  business  head  of  the  concern.  The 
firm  not  only  assumed  the  debts  of  the  establishment, 
but  obligated  itself  to  pay  an  annual  bonus  for  the  privi- 
lege of  conducting  the  publications  of  the  church.  That 
the  Synod  was  delighted  with  these  propositions  need 
hardly  be  said  ;  and  for  fifteen  years  its  publication  inter- 
ests  were    successfully   conducted   by    M.  Kieffer   &    Co. 


M.  KIEFFER  &=  CO.  39 1 

The  debts  were  gradually  reduced  and  the  establishment 
became  a  valuable  property.  In  1854  the  firm  voluntarily 
transferred  to  the  Synod  one  half  of  its  property,  and  ten 
years  later  sold  its  entire  interest  in  the  concern  to  the 
same  body  at  a  price  much  below  its  actual  value.  The 
course  of  the  firm  of  M.  Kieffer  &  Co.  w^as  recognized  as 
most  liberal,  and  the  Synod  spontaneously  added  to  the 
purchase-money  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  as  a  tes- 
timonial of  gratitude  for  many  years  of  faithful  service. 

For  more  than  a  generation  Dr.  Fisher  not  only  repre- 
sented the  Reformed  Church  in  business,  but  was  the  lead- 
ing authority  in  the  interpretation  of  its  constitution.  As 
stated  clerk  of  Synod  he  seemed  ready  to  answer  all 
questions,  and  whenever  ministers  desired  advice  they 
were  sure  to  turn  to  him.  When  Dr.  Nevin  published  his 
book  on  "The  Anxious  Bench  "  there  was  some  doubt  as 
to  whether  Dr.  Fisher  would  sustain  him  ;  but  after  the 
"  Messenger"  had  spoken  there  could  be  no  further  ques- 
tion on  that  subject.  In  consequence  of  his  position  in 
this  and  subsequent  controversies  a  complaint  was  lodged 
against  Dr.  Fisher  for  "  malfeasance  in  office  "  ;  but  at  the 
Synod  held  in  Philadelphia  in  1853  he  was  acquitted  with 
but  one  dissenting  vote. 

During  the  latter  years  of  this  period  several  other 
church  papers  were  established.  The  most  prominent  of 
these  was  the  "Western  Missionary,"  founded  in  1848 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jeremiah  H.  Good,  of  Tiffin,  O.  It  is  now 
entitled  the  "  Christian  World,"  and  is  published  by  the 
Reformed  Publishing  Company  of  Dayton,  O. 

A  few  years  later  we  trace  the  beginnings  of  the  Ger- 
man Publishing  House  of  Cleveland,  O.,  which  is  prob- 
ably at  present  the  most  extensive  institution  of  its  kind 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States. 

At  the  risk  of  anticipating  events  it  seems  desirable  at 


392  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chai'.  x\-i. 

this  point  to  continue  the  history  of  the  estabhshment 
at  Chambersburg.  The  town,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
near  "  the  border,"  and  during  the  Civil  War  it  was  ex- 
posed to  frequent  raids.  No  special  danger  was,  however, 
anticipated,  and  when  the  Southern  army,  under  General 
Lee,  passed  through  the  town,  the  event  may  have  caused 
some  excitement,  but  no  fear.  So  great  was  the  sense  of 
security  that  the  Publication  Board  continued  to  make  im- 
provements and  actually  laid  extensive  plans  for  the  publi- 
cation of  denominational  literature.  Just  as  these  arrange- 
ments were  being  completed,  a  portion  of  the  Southern 
army,  under  the  command  of  General  McCausland,  entered 
Chambersburg,  and  on  the  30th  of  July,  1864,  laid  the 
greater  part  of  the  town  in  ashes.  The  publishing  house 
was  situated  on  the  public  square  in  the  center  of  the  town, 
and  was,  of  course,  utterly  destroyed.  Nothing  was  left 
but  the  stereotype  plates  and  book-accounts,  besides  the 
ground  on  which  the  building  had  stood  and  a  heap  of 
ruins.  At  a  moderate  estimate  made  at  the  time  the  loss 
amounted  to  nearly  $43,000,  and  there  were,  of  course, 
old  debts,  which  now  became  a  double  burden.  It  was 
at  this  crisis  that  the  peculiar  abilities  of  Dr.  Fisher  be- 
came especially  apparent.  At  the  direction  of  the  Board 
of  Publication  he  immediately  went  to  Philadelphia  and 
made  arrangements  for  the  publication  of  the  periodicals. 
The  energy  which  he  displayed  was  remarkable,  and  in  four 
weeks  the  church  papers  were  once  more  in  the  hands  of 
their  subscribers.  Since  that  time  the  publications  of  the 
.eastern  Synods  have  appeared  in  Philadelphia. 

The  periodical  publications  of  a  church  are  an  index  of 
its  religious  life.  .It  thus  appears  that  the  revival  of  ancient 
charities  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Reformed  Church 
simultaneously  with  the  establishment  of  its  theological 
and  literary  institutions. 


IVIDOIVS'   FUND.  393 

The  oldest  charitable  organization  in  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States  is  the  Society  for  the  Relief 
of  Ministers  and  their  Widows.  This  society  was  founded 
as  early  as  1755  by  the  Coetus  of  Pennsylvania,  which  had 
obtained  permission  to  apply  to  this  purpose  certain  unex- 
pended remainders  of  the  annual  stipends.  Gradually  the 
fund  increased,  and  in  18 10  the  society  was  incorporated 
by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  The  charter,  it 
seems,  was  cumbrous  and  defective,  and  annuities  could 
be  granted  only  to  residents  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
In  1832,  when  the  Synod  appointed  Dr.  B.  C.  WolfT  and 
others  a  committee  to  inquire,  into  the  state  of  the  fund, 
it  was  found  that  the  society  had  but  three  surviving  mem- 
bers and  that  but  two  widows  were  receiving  annuities. 
The  surviving  members,  the  Rev.  Casper  Wack,  W.  Hen- 
del,  D.D.,  and  Samuel  Helffenstein,  D.D.,  held  a  meet- 
ing at  Falckner's  Swamp,  in  1833,  and  transferred  to  the 
Synod  the  funds  under  their  control,  under  the  sole  con- 
dition that  the  widows  who  were  receiving  annuities  should 
not  be  deprived  of  them.  The  Synod  expressed  a  desire 
that  the  society  should  be  perpetuated,  and  at  its  direction 
certain  changes  were  made  in  the  charter  by  which  the 
benefits  of  the  fund  became  applicable  to  destitute  minis- 
ters and  their  widows  throughout  the  church.  Since  that 
time  the  society  has  been  prosperous.  There  are  at  pres- 
ent about  forty  annuitants,  and  though  the  annual  stipend 
is  necessarily  small,  it  has  in  many  instances  prevented 
actual  destitution. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  earliest  periodicals  were 
issued  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  home  missions.  That  the 
leading  members  of  the  church  were  at  all  times  interested 
in  missionary  work  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  but  at  first  it  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  a  Committee  on  Missions,  which 
was  generally  impecunious.     On  the  28th  of  September, 


394  ^-^^^  REFORMED    CHCRCII,   GERMAX.    [Cii  vr.  xvi. 

1826,  a  Board  of  Domestic  Missions  was  organized  at  I'^ed- 
erick,  Md. ;  but  for  some  years  its  receipts  were  trifling. 
The  church  was  slow  in  appreciating  the  necessity  of  organ- 
ized work.  Hitlierto  it  had  been  usual,  when  a  church 
was  founded  somewhere  in  the  West,  to  send  the  pastor 
or  some  prominent  member  to  his  former  home  in  the 
East  to  collect  money  for  the  new  enterprise.  In  this 
way  large  sums  were  gathered  which  no  one  ever  thought 
of  reporting  to  the  Board  of  Missions.  Of  course  this  state 
of  afTairs  was  favorable  to  imposture,  and  the  "  Herum- 
laufer "  of  a  former  generation  came  to  the  front  again. 
Gradually  it  dawned  on  the  consciousness  of  the  churches 
that  it  would  be  better  to  direct  their  contributions  into  a 
regular  channel,  and  the  receipts  of  the  board  were  conse- 
quently increased.  In  some  localities  the  work  was  now 
enthusiastically  supported,  and  devout  people  actually 
submitted  to  personal  privations  in  order  to  be  able  to 
present  liberal  contributions.  The  work  was  gradually 
organized  in  accordance  with  tlie  methods  which  had  been 
found  useful  by  other  denominations,  and  several  eminent 
ministers  consecrated  their  lives  to  missionary  work.  It 
was  not,  however,  until  after  the  establishment  of  the  Gen- 
eral Synod  that  the  work  of  missions  could  be  thoroughly 
organized. 

The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  organized  in  Lan- 
caster, Pa.,  in  1838.  For  several  years  tlie  contributions 
were  sent  to  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions  for  general  use.  In  1842  the  Rew  Ben- 
jamin Schneider,  a  missionary  of  the  board,  located  at 
Broosa,  Asia  Minor,  connected  himself  with  the  German 
Reformed  Cluirch,  of  which  he  had  been  a  member  in  his 
youth.  This  was  done,  with  the  approval  of  the  American 
Board,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  cause  of  missions  in 
the  German  churches.     To  this  end  a  book  by  Mrs.  Schnei- 


CHRISTIAN  ACTIVITY.  395 

der,  entitled  "Letters  from  Broosa,"  served  an  excellentpur- 
pose.  In  1849  Dr.  Schneider  removed  to  Aintab,  Syria, 
where  his  labors  were  greatly  blessed.  For  many  years  he 
was  mainly  supported  by  the  contributions  of  the  Reformed 
Church,  but  the  missions  which  he  served  remained  under 
the  care  of  the  American  Board.  A  httle  later  many  Re- 
formed churches  contributed  to  the  support  of  the  Rev. 
Oscar  Lohr,  a  member  of  the  Classis  of  New  York,  who 
was  at  that  time  a  missionary  of  the  German  Evangelical 
Missionary  Society  at  Bisrampore,  India.  It  was  not,  how- 
ever, until  after  the  establishment  of  the  General  Synod 
that  the  German  Reformed  Church  could  be  said  to  be 
directly  engaged  in  the  work  of  foreign  missions.  A  par- 
tial explanation  of  this  fact  may  be  found  in  the  enormous 
extent  of  its  home  missionary  field.  The  immigration  to 
America  was  so  great,  and  its  spiritual  necessities  so  con- 
stant and  pressing,  that  the  church  was  not  so  strongly 
drawn  to  labor  among  the  heathen  as  it  might  have  been 
under  different  domestic  conditions. 

In  all  departments  of  Christian  activity  there  appeared, 
toward  the  end  of  this  period,  indications  of  renewed  life. 
Beneficiary  education  received  considerable  attention,  and 
many  candidates  for  the  ministry  were  thus  aided  in  the 
prosecution  of  their  studies.  There  was,  in  fact,  a  certain 
restless  energy,  which  may  not  always  have  been  properly 
directed,  but  gave  promise  of  higher  developments.  In 
1 85 1  Catawba  College  was  founded,  at  Newton,  N.  C. 
Having  been  deprived  of  most  of  its  resources  during  the 
Civil  War,  this  institution  was  for  some  time  left  in  a  crip- 
pled condition,  but  it  is  now  prosperous.  In  1853  an  effort 
was  made  to  separate  the  Classis  of  Ncn-fh  Carolina  from 
the  German  Reformed  Church  ;  but  the  attempt  proved 
unsuccessful,  and  the  Classis  is  now  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous in  the  denomination. 


396  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xvi. 

In  1847  the  Classis  of  East  Pennsylvania  requested  the 
Synod  to  take  immediate  measures  for  the  preparation  of 
a  new  hturgy.  Tliis  may  be  regarded  as  the  beginning  of 
the  liturgical  movement,  which  resulted  in  a  revival  of  the 
Mercersburg  controversies,  and  with  brief  intermissions 
occupied  the  attention  of  the  church  for  more  than  thirty 
years.  Its  position  in  the  development  of  the  church  is 
so  important  that  we  shall  consider  it  at  some  length  in  a 
subsequent  chapter. 

In  1857  it  was  suggested  that  the  Reformed  Church 
should  celebrate  the  three-hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
formation  and  adoption  of  the  Heidelberg  Catecliism. 
This  suggestion  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Miller  in 
the  "  Kirchenzeitung,"  and  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Har- 
baugh  in  the  first  volume  of  his  "  Lives  of  the  Fathers." 
Two  years  later  the  suggestion  was  renewed  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Philip  Schaff  at  a  meeting  of  the  Classis  of  Mercers- 
burg, and  being  sent  up  to  S}'nod  in  the  form  of  a  request 
was  by  that  body  referred  to  a  committee,  of  which  Dr. 
Harbaugh  was  chairman.  The  plan,  as  elaborated  by  this 
committee,  was  comprehensive  beyond  anything  which  the 
church  had  hitherto  attempted.  The  celebration  was  to 
be,  first  of  all,  "a  sublime  festal  service  to  God."  It  in- 
volved the  holding  of  a  convention  on  the  19th  of  January, 
1863;  the  enrollment  of  all  the  members  of  the  church; 
and  the  reception  of  memorial  freewill  offerings  from  those 
who  desired  to  present  them. 

The  proposed  celebration  was  approved  by  the  church 
with  remarkable  unanimity  and  enthusiasm.  That  it  proved 
in  every  respect  successful  was  due  in  great  measure  to  the 
untiring  labor  of  Dr.  Harbaugh,^  though  he  could  have 
accomplished  little  without  efficient  coadjutors. 

1  Henry  ILarliaugh  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Pa.,  October  28,  181 7, 
and  died  at  Mercersburg,  December  28,   1867;  pastor  of  several  churches 


UNION  OF  SYNODS.  397 

About  the  same  time  it  was  proposed  that  instead  of  the 
Triennial  Convention,  from  which  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  had  withdrawn,  the  two  German  Reformed  Synods 
should  unite  in  the  formation  of  a  General  Synod.  When 
the  subject  was,  in  i860,  referred  to  the  several  Classes 
for  approval  or  rejection  there  were  few  persons  who  felt 
sanguine  of  a  favorable  result.  The  two  Synods,  it  was 
said,  had  drifted  too  far  apart,  and  their  views  on  impor- 
tant questions  were  believed  to  be  hopelessly  at  variance. 
The  Heidelberg  Catechism  was,  however,  equally  revered 
by  both  Synods,  and  the  awakening  enthusiasm  of  the 
church  carried  the  resolution  for  union  by  a  large  major- 
ity. The  tercentenary  celebration  may  therefore  be  re- 
garded as  the  close  of  a  formative  period  and  as  the  be- 
ginning of  an  epoch  of  united  endeavor. 

and  professor  at  Mercersburg ;  founder  of  the  "  Guardian  "  (1850),  editor  of 
the  "  Mercersburg  Review"  (1867),  and  author  of  many  books.  He  com- 
posed several  hymns,  of  which  the  best  known  is  "  Jesus,  I  live  to  thee." 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

THE   TERCENTENARY   YEAR. 

The  Tercentenary  Convention  met  in  Philadelphia  on 
the  17th  of  January,  1863,  in  the  church  on  Race  Street, 
below  Fourth,  of  which  Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger  was  pas- 
tor. About  five  hundred  delegates  were  in  attendance. 
Dr.  John  W.  Nevin  was  chosen  president,  and  Dr.  Samuel 
R.  Fisher  and  Elder  Lewis  H.  Steiner,  M.D.,  served  as  sec- 
retaries. The  most  eminent  members  of  the  Reformed 
Church  and  many  ministers  of  other  denominations  were 
present.  To  have  been  in  such  a  company  was  an  experi- 
ence that  is  not  easily  forgotten. 

The  convention  opened  with  the  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  the  sessions  were  continued  for  four 
days.  Essays  by  eminent  divines  of  Europe  and  Amer- 
ica were  read,  and  the  history  and  doctrines  of  the  church 
minutely  examined.  The  European  contributors  were  the 
Rev.  Drs.  C.  H.  Hundeshagen  of  Heidelberg;  J.  J.  Her- 
zog  and  J.  H.  A.  Ebrard,  both  of  Erlangen ;  C.  Ullmann 
of  Karlsruhe,  and  G.  D.  J.  Schotel  of  Leyden.  The  essays 
written  by  these  men  had  been  translated  and  were  read 
in  English.  Original  contributions  were  also  presented  by 
the  following  American  ministers:  B.  S.  Schneck,  T.  C. 
Porter,  H.  Harbaugh,  Theodore  Appel,  Thomas  G.  Apple, 
M.  Kieffer,  E.  V.  Gerhart,  G.  B.  Russell,  D.  Cans,  B.  Baus- 
man,  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  B.  C.  Wolff,  and  Thomas  de 
Witt.      At  an  evening  meeting  Dr.  Schaff  ga\e  the  sub- 

398 


TERCENTENARY  CELEBRATION.  399 

stance  of  a  German  essay  which  he  had  prepared  for  the 
occasion,  but  which,  he  said,  was  too  long  to  be  read  be- 
fore tlie  convention.  It  was  pubHshed  in  the  German 
memorial  volume.  After  this  auspicious  beginning  the 
delegates  went  earnestly  to  work.  There  were,  of  course, 
sections  of  the  church  which  could  not  be  reached  by  the 
prevailing  enthusiasm,  but  no  event  in  the  history  of  the  de- 
nomination had  ever  exerted  such  an  extensive  influence. 
A  committee  of  which  Dr.  E.V.  Gerhart  was  chairman  issued 
a  memorial  edition  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism ;  and  the 
"  Tercentenary  Monument,"  a  large  volume,  was  published 
in  German  and  English.  Many  copies  of  the  latter  work 
were  destroyed  in  the  following  year  at  the  burning  of 
Chambersburg,  so  that  it  has  now  become  scarce.  The 
enrollment  of  the  members  of  the  church  was  carried  out 
according  to  the  plan  of  the  committee,  and  the  amount 
of  freewill  offerings,  as  reported  in  the  following  year, 
amounted  to  $108,125.98.  This  amount  would  have  been 
regarded  as  respectable  in  any  American  denomination,  and 
it  need  hardly  be  said  that  it  gave  a  renewed  impetus  to 
every  enterprise  of  Christian  benevolence. 

A  remarkable  feature  of  the  tercentenary  celebration  was 
its  broad  and  genial  character.  In  the  report  adopted  by 
the  Eastern  Synod,  in  October,  1863,  we  read:  "  The  cele- 
bration has  thus  far  been  kept  remarkably  free  from  a  sec- 
tarian character  or  bias,  and  our  brethren  of  other  denomi- 
nations have  witnessed  this  whole  movement  with  interest 
and  have  bidden  us  God-speed  ;  so  that  love  for  the  church 
of  Christ  generally  is,  we  hope,  promoted  rather  than  re- 
tarded by  this  revival  of  denominational  love  and  attach- 
ment. The  truth  is,  its  direct  tendency  is  toward  a  greater 
unity  among  the  divided  members  of  the  Christian  family, 
for  which  we  should  continually  strive  and  pray." 

One  of  the  most  important  events  of  the  tercentenary 


400  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xvii. 

year  attracted  at  the  time  but  little  attention.  The  Rev. 
Emanuel  Boehringer  was  pastor  of  a  small  mission-church 
at  Bridesburg,  Philadelphia.  He  was  poor  in  this  world's 
goods,  but  "rich  in  charity.  One  day  he  found  on  the 
street  several  destitute  orphans,  and  moved  by  Christian 
sympathy  he  took  them  home  and  admitted  them  to  his 
family.  It  was  a  pure  act  of  faith,  but  that  faith  never 
wavered.  In  a  letter  acknowledging  a  contribution  from 
the  Egypt  Church,  in  Lehigh  County,  dated  November  2, 
1863,  he  says:  "  The  number  of  orphans  now  in  my  charge 
has  increased  to  twelve,  of  whom  five  are  the  chil- 
dren of  soldiers.  With  the  blessing  of  God  the  undertaking 
must  succeed.  Our  Orphans'  Home  is  still  but  a  grain 
of  mustarci-seed,  but  we  trust  that  the  time  will  come 
when  under  its  fostering  care  many  poor  orphans  will 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  a  Christian  and  churchly  train- 
ing. The  necessity  for  the  establishment  of  such  institu- 
tions is  pressing,  especially  when  we  take  into  considera- 
tion the  great  number  of  orphans  whose  fathers  sacrificed 
their  lives  in  battle  for  the  fatherland." 

The  institution  which  was  founded  in  this  humble  way 
was  at  first  known  as  the  "  Shepherd  of  Lambs,"  but  is 
now  called  "  Bethany."  The  founder  and  his  faithful  wife 
entered  into  their  heavenly  rest  in  the  following  year,  but 
the  work  which  they  began  was  not  suffered  to  fail.  As  the 
location  at  Bridesburg  was  found  unsuitable,  the  home 
was  in  1867  removed  to  Womelsdorf,  Berks  County,  Pa., 
where  it  has  greatly  prospered. 

The  cause  of  the  orphans  appealed  so  directly  to  the 
sympathies  of  Christian  people  that  within  a  few  years 
similar  institutions  were  founded  in  other  parts  of  the 
church.  St.  Paul's  Orphans'  Home  at  Butler,  Pa.,  was 
founded  in  1868,  and  is  chiefly  sustained  by  the  Synods 
of  Pittsburg  and  Ohio.     The  Reformed  Church  Orphans' 


THE   SECOND    CONVENTION.  40I 

Home  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  is  under  the  special  patronage 
of  the  Central  Synod  and  the  Synod  of  the  Northwest. 
"Zoar,"  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  is  at  present  partly  supported 
by  an  undenominational  society.  Besides  caring  for  des- 
titute orphans  the  last-mentioned  institution  provides  a 
home  for  worthy  Christian  people  of  advanced  age,  among 
whom  are  ministers  of  several  denominations.  All  these 
institutions  have  been  liberally  sustained,  and  it  may  be 
said  that  in  their  prosperity  the  church  takes  special  inter- 
est. It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  they  may  all  be  traced 
to  a  single  act  of  faith  exerted  by  an  obscure  minister  dur- 
ing the  tercentenary  year. 

The  General  Synod  met  for  the  first  time  at  Pittsburg 
on  the  1 8th  of  November,  1863.  Dr.  John  W.  Nevin  was 
elected  president.  The  attention  of  the  Synod  was  mainly 
occupied  by  practical  subjects,  among  which  the  organ- 
ization of  the  body  itself  was  not  the  least  important.  In 
effecting  the  union  of  ecclesiastical  bodies  there  are  always 
questions  of  detail  which  present  unexpected  difficulties; 
but  in  this  instance  these  difficulties  were  happily  sur- 
mounted, and  the  general  results  were  encouraging. 

The  tercentenary  festival  was  formally  concluded  by  a 
convention  held  at  Reading,  Pa.,  from  the  21st  to  the  25th 
of  May,  1864.  This  body  was  mainly  occupied  with  sum- 
ming up  the  work  of  the  previous  year,  but  at  the  same 
time  offered  valuable  suggestions  for  future  growth  and 
advancement.  The  results  of  the  tercentenary  celebration 
may  even  now  be  regarded  with  satisfaction ;  and  it  is  a 
subject  of  gratitude  that  in  the  most  inclement  season  of 
our  national  history  the  church  put  forth  blossoms  whose 
ripening  fruit  we  are  now  beginning"  to  enjoy. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

GROWTH    AND    ADVANCEMENT. 

The  organization  of  the  General  Synod  was  followed 
by  rapid  extension  in  the  work  of  home  missions.  Though 
a  comparatively  small  part  of  this  work  was  accomplished 
through  the  regular  boards,  the  missionary  character  of 
the  church  became  more  apparent,  and  numerous  and  suc- 
cessful efforts  we^re  made  for  its  advancement. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  German  work  in  the  West 
rapidly  assumed  unexpected  proportions.  For  twenty 
years  or  more  emigration  from  the  fatherland  had  been 
rapidly  increasing.  Conditions  in  Germany  had  greatly 
changed  since  the  previous  century,  and  it  need  hardly 
be  remarked  that  the  second  migration  difTered  widely 
from  the  first.  Ministers  were  needed  who  were  familiar 
with  recent  theological  changes  in  Europe,  and  who  were 
especially  well  armed  against  the  aggressions  of  ration- 
alism. Superficial  observers  may  have  gained  the  im- 
pression that  the  immigration  of  the  latter  period  was 
thoroughly  unchurchly ;  but  there  were,  in  fact,  great 
multitudes  who  held  to  their  ancestral  faith.  In  many  in- 
stances the  latter  gathered  in  settlements  and  founded 
congregations,  as  the  pioneers  of  the  Eastern  churches  had 
done  in  the  previous  century. 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  beginning  of  the  work 
among  the  foreign  Germans  in  the  Synod  of  Ohio ;  and 
the  early  labors  of  such  men  as  Dr.  J.  G.  Zahner,  Dr.  J.  H. 

402 


MISSIONARIES.  403 

Klein,  and  others,  should  not  be  forgotten.  It  is,  how- 
ever, important  to  remember,  as  indicating  the  close  con- 
nection existing  between  the  East  and  the  West,  that  many 
of  the  most  eminent  laborers  in  this  particular  field  had 
received  their  training  in  Eastern  institutions.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  E.  V.  Gerhart,  though  born  in  this  country  and  espe- 
cially familiar  with  the  English  language,  began  his  min- 
isterial work  among  the  Germans  of  Cincinnati  as  early  as 
1849,  ^f^d  was  very  successful  in  laying  the  foundations  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  that  city.  The  three  men  who 
are  generally  regarded  as  having  been  most  prominent  in 
the  organization  of  the  German  work  were,  indeed,  natives 
of  the  fatherland,  but  had  studied  for  the  ministry  in  this 
country  and  were  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  neces- 
sities of  the  American  church.  Dr.  Max  Stern,  who  was 
regarded  as  the  missionary  par  excellence,  and  Dr.  H.  A. 
Muehlmeier,  the  "  father  "  of  the  church  in  Wisconsin,  had 
both  studied  in  Mercersburg;  and  Dr.  H.  J.  Ruetenik,  the 
founder  of  the  German  Publishing  House  at  Cleveland,  and 
of  many  other  important  interests,  had  entered  the  minis- 
try as  a  member  of  the  Classis  of  East  Pennsylvania. 

There  is  a  pleasant  tradition  of  a  meeting  of  these  three 
men  at  a  convention  of  the  Tiffin  Classis,  Ohio,  in  1853, 
where  plans  were  laid  for  the  work,  which  in  less  than 
forty  years  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  three  German 
Synods  with  more  than  fifty  thousand  members.  It  may 
be  of  general  interest  to  add  a  few  words  concerning  the 
special  labors  of  these  eminent  men. 

Dr.  Stern  was  a  man  of  signal  ability  and  force  of  char- 
acter. He  preached  Christ  with  the  earnestness  that  is 
born  of  personal  experience,  and,  possessing  extraordinary 
talents  as  a  catechist,  was  unusually  successful  in  prepar- 
ing the  young  for  active  church-membership.  The  center 
of  his  work  was  Crawford  County,  O.,  where  he  estab- 


404  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap,  xviii. 

lished  four  important  pastoral  charges ;  but  he  was  con- 
stantly engaged  in  missionary  labor  throughout  the  West. 
Dr.  H.  A.  Muehlmeier  went  as  a  missionary  to  She- 
boygan, Wis.,  where  he  established  a  substantial  church. 
Then  he  accepted  a  call  from  a  country  congregation  in 
the  vicinity,  which  had  previously  been  served  by  Dr. 
Jacob  Bossard.  The  history  of  this  congregation,  as  re- 
lated by  Dr.  C.  T.  Martin  in  his  "  Geschichte  des  Missions- 
hauses,"  is  extremely  interesting.  It  consisted  almost 
without  exception  of  natives  of  the  German  principality 
of  Lippe.  That  province  had  been,  since  the  days  of  the 
Reformation,  earnestly  attached  to  the  Reformed  faith ; 
but  in  the  earlier  years  of  the  present  century  there  had 
come  a  period  of  coldness  and  depression.  About  fifty 
years  ago  there  was  a  genuine  revival  of  religion,  con- 
ducted by  devout  ministers  of  the  established  church. 
This  movement  the  government  foolishly  attempted  to  re- 
press. Pastors  were  forbidden  to  attend  "  conventicles," 
and  in  some  villages  devout  people  were  imprisoned  for 
no  greater  crime  than  having  been  present  at  a  prayer- 
meeting.  The  Heidelberg  Catechism  was  supplanted  by 
a  weak,  if  not  rationalistic.  Method  of  Instruction ;  but  in 
one  church  at  least  the  pastor  taught  the  ancient  confes- 
sion by  reciting  it  from  memor}^  until  the  children  knew  it 
by  heart.  The  refusal  of  parents  to  allow  their  children 
to  be  catechised  in  accordance  with  the  plan  of  the  gov- 
ernment was  punished  by  fine  and  imprisonment.  At  last 
several  companies  of  the  oppressed  people  determined  to 
escape  from  their  troubles  by  emigrating  to  America; 
and  one  of  these,  after  innumerable  trials,  found  its  way 
to  Wisconsin.  Fourteen  families  remained  together  and 
became  the  nucleus  of  the  church  at  Franklin.  For  some 
time  they  were  not  even  aware  of  the  existence  of  a  Re- 
formed Church  in  this  country;  but  at  a  critical  moment 


THE  MISSION  HOUSE.  405 

they  were  visited  by  the  Rev.  A.  Berky,  a  missionary  of 
the  Eastern  Synod,  and  the  people  were  glad  to  submit  to 
the  order  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States. 
In  1854  the  Classis  of  Sheboygan  held  its  first  meeting  in 
this  church.  It  consisted  of  four  ministers — Dr.  H.  A. 
Muehlmeier,  Dr.  Jacob  Bossard,  Henry  Winter,  and  J.  T. 
Kluge — and  several  ruling  elders.  Now  there  are  about 
fifty  German  Reformed  ministers  in  Wisconsin,  and  Classes 
have  been  organized  in  adjacent  States. 

The  German  population  was  rapidly  increasing,  and  it 
soon  became  evident  that  the  church  in  the  East  was  un- 
able to  supply  ministers  in  sufficient  numbers  to  attend 
to  its  spiritual  necessities.  The  Classis  of  Sheboygan 
accordingly,  in  1859,  resolved  to  found  a  Mission  House, 
whose  chief  purpose  it  was  to  be  to  prepare  German  min- 
isters for  service  in  the  American  churches.  The  institu- 
tion was  without  means,  but  there  were  practically  no 
expenses.  The  teachers,  Drs.  Muehlmeier  and  Bossard, 
served  without  salary,  and  for  some  time  the  members  of 
the  church  at  Franklin  received  the  students  into  their 
own  families  and  fed  and  clothed  them  at  their  own  ex- 
pense, aided  in  a  few  instances  by  small  contributions 
from  Christian  friends.  The  moral  discipline  of  the  school 
was  under  the  direction  of  the  Consistory  of  the  con- 
gregation, and  the  life  of  the  whole  community  was  cheer- 
ful, though  devout.  In  1875  Dr.  H.  W.  Kurtz  (1823-89), 
a  distinguished  scholar,  became  connected  with  the  Mission 
House,  which  was  in  1879  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  college. 
This  institution  has  always  been  faithful  to  its  original 
purpose,  and  hundreds  of  young  men  have  been  trained 
for  the  work  of  missions. 

Dr.  Herman  J.  Ruetenik  labored  for  several  years  in 
Toledo,  and  was  called  to  a  professorship  at  Tiffin.  About 
i860  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Cleveland,  where,  under 


406  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap,  xviii. 

many  discouragements,  he  founded  the  first  German  Re- 
formed congregation.  Now  the  Reformed  Church  has 
eleven  congregations  in  that  city. 

In  the  religious  interest  of  the  Germans  of  the  West 
Dr.  Ruetenik  fpunded  several  periodicals,  from  which  has 
grown  the  prosperous  German  Publishing  House  of  Cleve- 
land. He  also  founded  Calvin  College,  an  institution  which, 
as  nearly  as  possible  in  equal  degree,  trains  its  students  in 
the  German  and  English  languages.  It  is  often  called  the 
"German-English  College."  The  importance  of  such  an 
institution  will  readily  be  recognized. 

Several  German  District  Synods  ha\'e  been  established 
by  direction  of  the  General  Synod.  In  1867  the  German 
Synod  of  the  Northwest  was  organized  at  Fort  Wayne, 
Ind.  ;  in  1875  the  German  Synod  of  the  East  held  its 
first  meeting  in  Philadelphia;  and  in  1881  the  Central 
Synod,  the  third  German  District  Synod,  was  organized 
at  Gallon,  O.  That  these  German  Synods  have  mani- 
fested extraordinary  energy  will  not  be  doubted.  In  their 
methods  they  differ  considerably  from  those  of  the  Eng- 
lish churches,  but  their  zeal  and  devotion  are  universally 
recognized. 

The  prevailingly  English  portion  of  the  church  also 
found  it  desirable  at  this  time  to  organize  additional  District 
Synods.  Pittsburg  Synod  was  organized  in  1870  out  of 
four  Classes  which  had  previously  constituted  the  "border- 
land "  between  the  Ea.stern  Synod  and  the  Synod  of  Ohio. 
The  Synod  of  the  Potomac,  consisting  of  two  Classes  in 
southern  Pennsylvania,  and  of  the  Classes  of  Maryland, 
Virginia,  and  North  Carolina,  held  its  first  meeting  in 
1873.  The  Pittsburg  and  Potomac  Synods,  having  been 
mainly  formed  of  territory  previously  belonging  to  the 
Eastern  Synod,  have  cooperated  with  that  body  in  many 
enterprises  of  Christian  benevolence.     The  Synod  of  the 


HARBOR   MISSIO.V.  407 

Interior,  the  youngest  of  the  Synods,  was  organized  at 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in  1887.  Like  the  other  Western 
Synods,  it  was  formed  of  Classes  previously  belonging  to 
the  Synod  of  Ohio.  The  General  Synod  now  comprises 
eight  District  Synods,  of  which  five  are  prevailingly  Eng- 
lish and  three  are  German. 

During  the  earlier  years  of  the  General  Synod  little 
was  done  in  the  cause  of  foreign  missions.  The  small 
sums  which  were  contributed  to  this  work  after  the  with- 
drawal of  the  Synod  from  the  American  Board,  in  1865, 
were  mainly  given  to  the  German  Evangelical  Missionary 
Society.  The  General  Synod  had  indeed  resolved  to 
establish  a  foreign  mission  of  its  own,  but  for  some  years 
little  was  done.  The  Sheboygan  Classis  founded  a  mis- 
sion among  the  Winnebago  Indians  of  Wisconsin,  which 
was  aided  by  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  The  New 
York  Harbor  Mission  was  begun  in  1865.  This  mission 
is  mainly  designed  to  give  counsel  and  aid  to  immigrants 
from  foreign  lands.  To  many  of  these  people  it  is  a  real 
blessing  to  be  welcomed  on  their  arrival  by  a  minister  of 
their  own  faith,  speaking  words  of  encouragement  in  the 
language  of  the  fatherland.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  mis- 
sionary to  direct  the  strangers  to  places  where  they  may 
be  cared  for  by  the  church,  and  as  much  as  possible  to  aid 
them  in  avoiding  temptation  and  danger.  Incidentally  the 
missionary  has  relieved  much  genuine  distress.  That  such 
a  mission  deserves  support  will  be  readily  acknowledged. 

The  interest  taken  by  the  church  in  minor  enterprises 
cannot  serve  as  an  excuse  for  neglecting  the  general 
cause  of  foreign  missions.  It  may,  indeed,  be  urged  that 
the  church  had  no  missionaries  in  the  foreign  field  and 
therefore  lacked  the  personal  interest  which  is  of  so  much 
importance  in  such  an  undertaking;  and  it  may  also  be 
claimed,  with  some  appearance  of  right,  that  the  work  of 


408  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap,  xviii. 

home  missions  had  increased  to  such  an  extent  as  to  tax 
to  the  utmost  the  energies  of  the  church.  A  more  serious 
obstacle  was,  however,  the  theological  and  liturgical  con- 
troversy which,  as  we  shall  see,  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  church  for  many  years,  and  prevented  united  and 
harmonious  action. 

In  1873  the  Reformed  Church  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions  was  reorganized,  but  it  was  not  until 
1879  that  the  first  missionaries  were  sent  to  Japan.  The  lo- 
cation of  the  mission  was  determined  after  consultation  with 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America,  which  had  previously  founded  a  mission  in  that 
country  and  regarded  the  field  as  promising.  The  result 
has  fully  met  the  expectations  of  the  church.  Eleven  mis- 
sionaries have  at  different  times  been  sent  to  Japan,  and  they 
have  been  well  sustained  by  the  church  at  home.  The 
earliest  church  was  organized  in  1884.  Subsequently  the 
mission  was  removed  from  Tokio  to  Sendai,  in  northern 
Japan,  where  it  has  greatly  prospered.  This  success  has 
been  largely  due  to  the  zeal  and  talent  of  the  Rev.  M. 
Oshikawa,  a  native  minister,  who  has  visited  America. 
Much  of  the  work  of  the  missionaries  has  been  educational, 
and  in  Sendai  two  institutions  of  advanced  grade — the  To- 
hoku  Gakuin  and  a  Girls'  School — have  been  established. 
Suitable  buildings  have  been  erected,  and  the  institutions  are 
well  supplied  with  the  appliances  necessary  for  successful 
work.  A  large  building — the  John  Ault  Memorial  Hall — 
was  built  at  the  private  cost  of  one  of  the  missionaries,  the 
Rev.  W.  E.  Hoy.  The  evangelistic  work  has  been  mainly 
in  charge  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.  Moore,  the  oldest  mission- 
ary now  in  the  field.  The  mission  is  connected  with  the 
Union  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan.  According  to  the  lat- 
est reports  (1894)  it  numbers  twelve  organized  churches, 
of  which  five  are  self-supporting;  forty-one  preaching-sta- 


SOlVnVG  AND   PLANTING.  409 

tions ;  and  about  two  thousand  members.  It  will  be  seen, 
therefore,  that  the  most  recent  missionary  work  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  has  been  prosperous ;  and  as  the  offerings 
of  the  people  are  rapidly  increasing  it  is  hoped  that  it  will 
soon  be  greatly  extended. 

The  earlier  years  of  the  period  of  the  General  Synod 
should  be  regarded  as  a  time  of  sowing  and  planting. 
Many  important  interests  derive  their  origin  from  that 
season,  though  they  have  but  recently  attained  in  some 
degree  to  the  ideal  of  their  founders.  It  must  not  be  for- 
gotten that  the  General  Synod  was  made  up  of  elements 
which  had  previously  been  independent,  and  that  time  was 
needed  for  their  consolidation.  Under  the  most  favorable 
circumstances  occasional  misunderstandings  could  hardly 
have  been  avoided ;  but  the  church  was  confronted  by 
peculiar  difficulties,  and  these  led  to  extended  contro- 
versies and  disagreements.  At  the  time  the  effect  of 
these  conflicts  was  necessarily  depressing,  but  it  is  a  re- 
markable fact  that  in  all  these  trying  years  the  church  was 
steadily  increasing  in  membership  and  liberality.  We  are 
therefore  justified  in  regarding  it  as  a  season  of  growth 
and  advancement. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

CULTUS. 

Though  the  Reformed  Church  has  always  manifested 
a  marked  preference  for  simple  forms  of  worship  it  should 
not  be  regarded  as  unliturgical.  Though  in  its  early  history 
the  church  undoubtedly  gave  less  concern  to  cultus  and 
government  than  to  purity  of  doctrine,  its  oldest  liturgies 
date  from  the  days  of  the  Reformers ;  and  though  in  vari- 
ous European  countries  its  forms  of  worship  have  difTered 
greatly,  the  desirability  of  having  such  offices  for  the  guid- 
ance of  the  church  was  never  seriously  questioned.  In  the 
administration  of  the  sacraments  and  other  sacred. rites  it 
was  deemed  especially  important  that  the  form  of  worship 
should  be  settled  by  the  church  ;  and  the  fact  was  gener- 
ally recognized  that  divine  ordinances  may  easily,  though 
perhaps  unconsciously,  be  profaned  when  the  manner  of 
their  administration  is  left  to  the  individual  tastes  of  the 
officiating  minister. 

In  this  country  the  worship  of  the  German  Reformed 
churches  was  at  first  conducted  in  general  accordance  with 
the  Palatinate  Liturgy.  This  liturgy,  however,  needed 
thorough  revision  to  render  it  suitable  for  permanent  use 
in  this  country,  and  this,  unfortunately,  it  did  not  receive. 
It  was  not  reprinted,  and  after  a  while  became  quite  scarce. 
Then  there  came  a  time  of  great  confusion  in  the  order- 
ing of  public  worsliip.  To  some  extent,  it  is  true,  the 
ancient  customs  of  the  church  continued  to  be  observed. 

410 


CONGREGATIONAL   SINGING.  41  I 

Religious  service  followed  the  general  order  of  the  church 
year,  and  the  great  festivals,  especially  Christmas,  Good 
Friday,  Easter,  Ascension  day,  and  Pentecost,  were  regu- 
larly celebrated.  The  service  preparatory  to  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  never  omitted,  and  on  a  day  in  autumn,  des- 
ignated by  the  Consistory,  there  was  a  Harvest  Thanks- 
giving, in  which  the  congregation  took  great  interest. 
Beyond  these  general  characteristics  it  must,  however,  be 
confessed  that  there  was  little  unity  in  the  service  of  the 
church.  Some  ministers,  in  the  performance  of  official  acts, 
employed  rituals  which  they  had  brought  from  Europe, 
while  others  used  manuscript  collections  of  uncertain  ori- 
gin which  had  perhaps  been  given  them  by  their  precep- 
tors at  the  beginning  of  their  ministerial  career.  The  prac- 
tice of  the  church  in  different  localities  varied  greatly  even 
where  the  service  was  entirely  "free,"  and  there  was  a 
general  looseness  in  everything  concerning  ceremonial 
observance  that  was  universally  deplored. 

Congregational  singing  had  in  some  parts  of  the  church 
almost  become  a  lost  art.  In  many  of  the  German 
churches  of  Pennsylvania  few  of  the  ancient  chorals  were 
remembered,  and  each  line  of  the  hymn  was  separately 
announced  and  sung.  It  often  happened  that  the  minis- 
ter and  organist  were  the  only  persons  in  the  congregation 
who  audibly  joined  in  singing.  In  the  English  churches 
the  state  of  affairs  was  possibly  more  encouraging;  but 
different  musical  collections  were  used,  and  little  attention 
was  given  to  hymnology.  In  1830  the  Eastern  Synod 
adopted  "  Psalms  and  Hymns,"  which  had  been  prepared 
at  its  request  by  a  committee  of  the  Maryland  Classis. 
It  was  subsequently  enlarged,  and  was  a  very  respectable 
collection. 

In  1 84 1  an  earnest  effort  was  made  to  reform  the  wor- 
ship of  the  church.      It  had  become  evident  that  the  old 


412  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xix. 

German  Hymn-book  of  1797  was  becoming  antiquated, 
and  that  the  "  GemeinschaftHches  Gesangbuch,"  which 
had  usurped  its  place,  was  a  poor  affair;  and  the  Synod 
ordered  the  preparation  of  an  improved  edition  of  the 
German  Hymn-book.  Its  committee,  however,  prepared 
an  original  collection,  which  was  popularly  known  as  the 
"  Chambersburg  Hymn-book."  This  book  is  said  to  have 
been  "prepared  in  the  printing-office,"  and  was  certainly 
inferior  to  the  work  which  it  was  intended  to  supersede. 
The  hymn-book  which  is  at  present  generally  used  in  the 
German  churches  was  prepared  in  accordance  with  a  reso- 
lution adopted  in  1857  by  the  Eastern  Synod.  In  con- 
sequence of  certain  difficulties  concerning  the  place  and 
terms  of  its  publication  the  book  was  issued  as  a  private 
enterprise  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Schaff,  who  had  made  the  collection.  Two  years  later  it 
was  formally  adopted  by  the  two  Synods  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  Since  its  earliest  publication  it  has  been  enlarged, 
and  is  now  accompanied  by  well-chosen  music.  It  has 
wrought  a  great  reform  in  the  congregational  singing  of 
the  German  churches,  and  is  generally  recognized  as  a 
collection  of  the  highest  order. 

A  small  collection  of  English  hymns  was  published  in 
1857  by  the  Liturgical  Committee.  A  few  years  later 
hymn-books  were  prepared  and  published  by  committees 
of  the  Eastern  and  Western  Synods.  They  manifested 
different  and  perhaps  divergent  tendencies,  but  were  the 
result  of  thorough  hymnologic  study.  The  "  Reformed 
Church  Hymnal,"  prepared  by  order  of  the  General 
Synod,  was  adopted  in  1890,  and  the  "  hymn-book  ques- 
tion "  may  therefore  be  regarded  as  finally  settled. 

In  1 84 1  the  Eastern  Synod  published  a  liturgy  which 
had  been  prepared  by  Dr.  Lewis  Mayer.  This  publica- 
tion, which  was  generally  known  as  the  "  Mayer  Liturgy," 


PROVISIONAL   LITURGY.  413 

consisted  of  a  series  of  forms  for  the  use  of  ministers  on 
special  occasions.  Though  adopted  by  the  Synod  it  did 
not  prove  acceptable  to  the  church.  Possibly  the  forms 
were  too  long  and  didactic ;  but  it  should  be  remembered 
that  it  was  composed  at  a  time  when  little  attention  had 
been  given  to  liturgic  study. 

The  preparation  of  a  new  liturgy  was  now  regarded  as 
a  necessity,  and  in  1847  it  was  brought  to  the  attention 
of  the  Eastern  Synod  by  means  of  an  overture  from  the 
Classis  of  East  Pennsylvania.  The  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject was  fully  appreciated,  and  in  the  following  year  the 
task  was  referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  the  fol- 
lowing persons :  Ministers,  J.  W.  Nevin,  Philip  Schaff, 
Elias  Heiner,  B.  C.  Wolff,  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  H.  Har- 
baugh,  J.  F.  Berg;  Elders,  William  Heyser,  J.  C.  Bucher, 
C.  Schaeffer,  and  G.  C.  Welker.  At  a  later  date  the  names 
of  Thomas  C.  Porter,  Samuel  R.  Fisher,  and  E.  V.  Gerhart 
were  added  to  the  committee,  and  D.  Zacharias  was  sub- 
stituted for  Joseph  F.  Berg,  who  had  resigned. 

The  work  advanced  slowly,  for  difficulties  presented 
themselves  at  every  step  of  the  way.  The  subject  was 
found  to  be  much  more  comprehensive  than  had  been 
imagined,  and  it  came  to  be  felt  by  the  majority  of  the 
committee  that  the  times  demanded  forms  of  worship 
more  fully  liturgical  than  those  with  which  the  Reformed 
Church  had  hitherto  been  familiar.  Though  there  were 
differences  of  opinion  there  was  no  positive  disagreement, 
and  in  1857  the  committee,  of  which  Dr.  Schaff  was  then 
chairman,  published  the  work  which  was  subsequently 
known  as  the  "  Provisional  Liturgy."  According  to  its 
preface  it  carried  with  it  no  binding  obligation,  and  was 
put  forth  for  the  purpose  of  satisfying  what  was  "  believed 
to  be  a  growing  want  of  the  Reformed  Church." 

The  "Provisional  Liturgy"  was,  from  a  literary  point  of 


414  ^^^^'  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xix. 

view,  a  work  of  high  excellence.  It  contained  much  valu- 
able material,  and  in  its  day  exerted  an  extensive  educa- 
tional influence.  Unfortunately  it  lacked  unity  and  "  was 
not  fitted  for  smooth  and  easy  practice."  ^ 

As  soon  as  it  became  evident  that  the  "  Provisional 
Liturgy  "  was  not  well  suited  for  practical  use  there  was 
a  loud  call  for  its  revision.  With  regard  to  this  matter 
there  was  apparently  no  difference  of  opinion ;  the  only 
question  was  concerning  the  principles  on  which  the  work 
was  to  be  accomplished.  Some  persons  desired  a  revision 
by  which  the  book  might  become  better  suited  for  practi- 
cal use  in  public  worship,  while  others  insisted  on  closer 
adhesion  to  the  pattern  presented  by  the  liturgies  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  At  the  Synod  of  Easton,  in  i86i,the 
"Provisional  Liturgy"  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
original  committee  for  revision  "in  a  way  that  shall  not 
be  inconsistent  either  with  established  liturgical  principles 
and  usages  or  with  the  devotional  or  doctrinal  genius  of 
the  German  Reformed  Church."  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Apple, 
D.D.,  and  L.  H.  Steiner,  M.D.,  were  at  this  time  added 
to  the  committee,  to  fill  the  places  of  Dr.  Heiner  and  Elder 
Heyser,  who  were  no  longer  living. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  committee  as  reconstructed 
it  was  found  that  the  instructions  of  Synod  were  variously 
interpreted,  and  Dr.  Nevin  was  directed  to  prepare  "  a  re- 
port to  Synod,  setting  forth  a  clear,  definite,  and  full  idea 
of  both  schemes  of  worship  advocated  in  committee,  in 
order  that  Synod  may  understand  the  real  question  at 
issue,  and  state  in  explicit  terms  what  it  requires  at  our 
hands."  The  report  thus  called  for  was  afterward  pub- 
lished as  "The  Liturgical  Question."  The  author  took 
strong  ground  in  favor  of  what  he  called* "an  altar  liturgy," 
and  elicited  a  reply  from  Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger,  in  a 
1  Nevin's  "  Vindication  of  the  New  Liturgy,"  p.  25. 


THE  PEACE    COMMISSION.  415 

pamphlet  entitled,  "The  Revised  Liturgy."  These  tracts 
may  be  regarded  as  the  beginning  of  a  long  series  of  con- 
troversial books  and  pamphlets. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  General  Synod,  in  1863,  the 
Synod  of  Ohio  received  permission  to  prepare  a  liturgy, 
and  the  Eastern  Synod  was  recommended  to  go  forward 
with  its  revision.  In  accordance  with  this  resolution  the 
"Order  of  Worship"  appeared  in  1866  and  the  "West- 
ern Liturgy  "  in  the  following  year.  Though  neither  of 
these  liturgies  was  formally  adopted,  the  "Order  of 
Worship"  was  in  1866  allowed  by  the  General  Synod  as 
"proper  to  be  used,"  and  in  1869  similar  recognition  was 
extended  to  the"  Western  Liturgy."  The  controversy,  how- 
ever, increased  in  intensity,  and  at  one  time  it  seemed  likely 
to  result  in  schism.  At  last,  in  1878,  the  General  Synod  com- 
mitted all  the  questions  which  had  been  in  controversy  to  a 
special  commission,  which  has  since  been  known  as  the 
"  Peace  Commission."  This  body,  in  1881,  presented  a  re- 
port covering  the  whole  field  of  doctrine,  cultus,  and  govern- 
ment, which  was  unanimously  adopted.  In  accordance 
with  the  expressed  hope  of  the  commission  it  has  proved 
"  a  basis  for  solid  and  enduring  peace."  As  one  of  the  re- 
sults of  its  labors  the  commission  prepared  and  published 
the  "  Directory  of  Worship,"  which  was  in  1887  adopted 
by  the  church.  In  consequence  of  this  action  controversy 
has  ceased.  The  church,  it  may  be  added,  practically  oc- 
cupies the  position  which  it  has  held  from  the  beginning. 
It  desires  to  be  recognized  as  a  liturgical  church,  and  its 
conceptions  of  the  requirements  of  Christian  worship  have, 
during  its  discussions  of  the  subject,  been  greatly  enlarged  ; 
but  there  is  no  disposition  to  use  a  liturgy  in  an  exclusive 
way,  nor  to  abridge  the  liberty  which  is  the  privilege  of 
pastors  and  people. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

CONCLUSION. 

When  the  General  Synod  was  founded,  in  1863,  there 
were  grave  fears  that  the  organization  would  fail  to  be 
permanent.  It  was  composed  of  elements  which  had 
hitherto  been  practically  independent,  and  it  was  sup- 
posed that  they  could  not  be  brought  into  harmonious 
union.  At  one  time,  it  must  be  confessed,  it  seemed  as  if 
the  most  unfavorable  anticipations  must  be  realized;  but 
we  are  now  beginning  to  recognize  the  fact  that  the  trials  of 
earlier  days  were  inseparable  from  the  development  of  a 
higher  life. 

Since  the  unanimous  adoption  of  the  report  of  the  Peace 
Commission,  in  1881,  the  church  has  enjoyed  remarkable 
prosperity.  It  has  not  been  a  season  of  controversy,  but 
of  quiet  advancement.  Differences  of  opinion  exist,  but  it 
is  believed  that  the  church  has  reached  a  position  in  the 
apprehension  of  truth  that  has  rendered  the  recurrence 
of  conflicts  like  those  of  former  days  at  least  improbable. 
As  firmly  as  ever  the  church  adheres  to  its  ancient  con- 
fession, and  in  full  accordance  with  its  teachings  Christ  is 
recognized  as  the  center  and  substance  of  the  Christian 
faith.  With  this  general  recognition  there  has  been  less 
disposition  to  insist  on  absolute  uniformity  in  minor  mat- 
ters; and  with  the  development  of  a  more  catholic  spirit 
there  has  been  an  inclination  to  welcome  the  good  in  all 
its  forms.      It  is  on  this  ground   that  our  branch  of  the 

416 


CHRISTIAN  UNION.  417 

Reformed  Church  has  taken  an  advanced  position  in  the 
cause  of  Christian  union.  At  the  successive  meetings  of 
the  "  AlHance  of  Reformed  Churches  holding  the  Presby- 
terian System  "  the  church  has  been  well  represented,  and 
its  delegates  have  welcomed  every  well-meant  efifort  to 
bring  the  churches  of  this  order  into  closer  relations.  With 
reference  to  the  recent  efforts  to  form  a  closer  union  with 
the  Reformed  Church  in  America  it  need  only  be  said  that 
though  these  movements  did  not  originate  in  the  German 
branch  of  the  church  it  supported  them  with  remarkable 
unanimity.  In  1874  and  1888,  when  organic  union  was 
proposed,  the  diihculties  were  fully  appreciated,  but  it  was 
believed  that  by  the  exercise  of  the  broadest  charity  minor 
differences  might  in  time  be  made  to  disappear.  In  1891, 
when  a  federal  union  of  the  two  churches  was  proposed, 
the  General  Synod  held  a  special  meeting  to  receive  the 
favorable  report  of  its  commissioners,  and  the  union  was 
subsequently  approved  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote  of 
the  Classes.  It  was  generally  believed,  we  venture  to 
say,  that  in  closer  union  the  historic  life  of  the  Reformed 
Church  would  more  fully  reveal  itself,  and  possibly  in  due 
time  reach  higher  developments  than  have  in  this  country 
been  attained.  The  failure  of  this  union  movement  has 
been  greatly  regretted.  Both  churches  have  dropped  "the 
foreign  patrial  adjective,"  and  are  ordinarily  called  by  the 
same  name.  That  one  church  is  officially  styled  the  "Re- 
formed Church  in  the  United  States  "  and  the  other  the 
"  Reformed  Church  in  America  "  is  a  distinction  which  we 
conceive  to  be  purely  accidental. 

It  will,  of  course,  be  understood  that  we  have  no  room 
to  enter  into  particulars  with  regard  to  the  recent  history 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States.  It  may 
be  said,  in  a  general  way,  that  the  benevolent  contribu- 
tions of  the  people  have  increased,  and  that  every  worthy 


41 8  THE  REFORMED    CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xx. 

cause  has  thus  been  favored  to  a  degree  which  was  previ- 
ously unknown.  This  fact  is  especially  evident  in  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  theological  and  literary  institu- 
tions, of  which  several  have  recently  received  considerable 
gifts  or  bequests.  Eighteen  schools  of  various  grades  en- 
joy the  patronage  of  the  church.  Of  these  the  following 
are  best  known : 

Eastern  Theological  Seminary,  removed  from  Mercers- 
burg  to  Lancaster,  Pa.,  in  1871,  has  recently  erected  a 
large  and  commodious  building,  which  was  dedicated  May 
10,  1894.  The  following  is  the  faculty  as  at  present 
constituted :  Emanuel  V.  Gerhart,  systematic  theology ; 
Thomas  G.  Apple,  church  history;  Frederick  A.  Gast, 
Hebrew  and  Old  Testament  theology ;  John  C.  Bowman, 
New  Testament  exegesis ;  William  Rupp,  practical  the- 
ology. 

Western  TJieologieal  Seminary ,  Tiffin,  O.  Faculty : 
David  van  Home,  systematic  theology ;  Herman  Rust, 
church  history ;  Alvin  S.  Zerbe,  Hebrew  and  Old  Testa- 
ment theology  ;  John  I.  Swander,  practical  theology. 

Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  founded  in  1853  by  the 
union  of  two  older  colleges.  The  successive  presidents 
have  been  Emanuel  V.  Gerhart,  John  Williamson  Nevin,i 
Thomas  G.  Apple,  and  John  S.  Stahr. 

Heidelberg  University,  Tiffin,  O.,  was  founded  in  1850. 
The  presidents  have  successively  been  E.  V.  Gerhart, 
Moses  Kieffer,  G.  W.  Aughinbaugh,  George  W.  Williard, 
and  John  A.  Peters. 

Ursinus  College,  Collegeville,  Pa.,  was  founded  in  1869 
under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  J.  H.  A.  Bomberger.  Though 
under  no  formal  synodical  control,  this  institution  recog- 

1  After  his  resignation  of  tlie  presidency  of  Marshall  College,  Dr.  Nevin 
lived  in  retirement  for  some  years,  an<l  was  then  calleil  to  the  presidency  of 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College.  He  held  this  office  from  1866  to  1876.  He 
died  at  Caernarvon  Place,  near  Lancaster,  Pa.,  June  6,  1886. 


INSTITUTIONS.  419 

nizes  its  amenability  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  The  present  president  is  the  Rev.  H.  T.  Spangler. 
Connected  with  the  college  is  a  theological  department,  of 
which  Dr.  James  I.  Good  is  dean. 

Other  literary  institutions  of  advanced  grade  are  Catawba 
College,  North  Carolina,  the  College  of  the  Mission  House, 
Wisconsin,  and  Calvin  College,  Ohio,  whose  early  history 
has  been  elsewhere  related.  Colleges  for  women  have  been 
founded  at  Allentown,  Pa.,  and  Frederick,  Md. 

Concerning  the  various  departments  of  missionary  ac- 
tivity we  can  only  add  that  they  have  recently  greatly  in- 
creased in  extent  and  comprehensiveness,  though  in  their 
general  character  they  probably  do  not  differ  greatly 
from  similar  enterprises  in  other  Christian  denominations. 
In  the  past  few  years  evangelistic  work  among  the  Hunga- 
rian immigrants  has  proved  successful.  Three  Hungarian 
pastors  have  been  induced  to  come  to  this  country,  and 
one  of  these  has  organized  seventeen  congregations  among 
his  countrymen.  Church  extension  has  been  greatly  pro- 
moted by  the  establishment  of  Church  Building  Funds, 
from  which  feeble  congregations  may  be  temporarily  aided 
in  the  erection  of  churches. 

Orphan  Homes  continue  prosperous  and  are  well  sus- 
tained by  the  church.  The  Bethesda  Home  for  Deacon- 
esses, at  Cleveland,  O.,  has  but  recently  been  founded, 
but  promises  to  accomplish  much  good. 

As  in  other  denominations,  there  have  been  great  changes 
in  methods  of  church-work.  Women'' s  Missionajy  Societies 
have  been  organized  throughout  the  church,  and  have  been 
very  successful  in  their  chosen  field.  Christian  Endeavor 
Societies  are  numerous,  and  the  BrotJierJiood  of  Andrczv 
and  Philip,  founded  by  the  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Miller,  has 
extended  beyond  the  denomination  in  which  it  was  first 
established. 


420  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.    [Chap.  xx. 

In  all  departments  of  Christian  activity  there  has  been 
a  tendency  in  the  direction  of  more  complete  organization. 
Sunday-schools  have  received  much  attention,  and  a  gen- 
eral secretary  has  been  appointed  to  direct  this  important 
interest. 

For  many  years  the  church  has  been  engaged  in  the  re- 
vision of  its  constitution,  and  in  1893  the  work  on  which 
so  much  labor  had  been  expended  was  referred  to  the 
Classes  for  final  action.  It  now  appears  that  the  constitu- 
tion as  revised  has  not  received  the  approval  of  the  requi- 
site number  of  Classes,  and  for  the  moment  it  seems  as  if 
the  labor  of  years  had  been  vain.  It  is  believed,  however, 
that  there  is  little  or  no  objection  to  the  general  principles  on 
which  the  work  was  effected,  and  that  with  comparatively 
slight  changes  it  may  be  made  acceptable  to  the  church. 

According  to  the  "  Almanac  of  the  Reformed  Church" 
for  1894  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  sus- 
tains thirty  periodical  publications,  of  which  twenty-four 
are  English  and  six  German.  Many  of  these  are  conducted 
on  individual  responsibility,  but  all  strive  to  promote  the 
best  interests  of  the  church.  The  Reformed  Publishing 
House  in  Philadelphia  is  now  conducted  by  the  Rev.  C.  G. 
Fisher,  D.D.,  who,  in  accordance  with  an  arrangement  with 
the  Eastern  English  Synods,  publishes  the  "  Messenger," 
"  Reformed  Quarterly  Review,"  and  certain  other  periodi- 
cals. 

In  1893  the  church  celebrated  the  centennial  anniversary 
of  the  organization  of  its  earliest  Synod.  Conventions 
were  held  in  various  places,  and  interesting  addresses  were 
delivered.  The  general  effect  has  been  to  awaken  interest 
in  history  and  to  lead  God's  people  to  a  fuller  apprehen- 
sion of  the  truth  which  it  reveals. 

In  the  successive  periods  which  we  have  attempted  to 
delineate  there  are  some  things  which  we  regret,  but  there 


REVIEW.  421 

are  more  which  call  for  devout  gratitude.  It  is  not  with- 
out pain  that  we  recall  "  the  lost  churches";  that  we  re- 
member how  in  great  cities  and  extensive  regions  where 
the  Reformed  Church  was  once  hopefully  founded  it  is 
now  almost  unknown.  When  we  contemplate  the  im- 
mense work  which  as  a  Christian  denomination  we  are 
called  to  perform  we  think  it  might  have  been  better  if  so 
many  of  our  brethren  had  not  left  us  in  our  days  of  trial. 
The  larger  denominations  with  which  they  generally  be- 
came identified  could  have  flourished  without  them,  while 
in  the  church  of  their  fathers  they  might  have  accom- 
plished an  important  work.  It  is,  however,  pleasant  to 
know  that,  in  some  instances  at  least,  the  fields  which  were 
once  ours  are  well  cultivated,  though  not  by  the  descend- 
ants of  those  who  reclaimed  them  from  the  wilderness. 

We  profoundly  regret  that  in  the  German  branch  of 
the  Reformed  Church  so  many  years  elapsed  before  the 
importance  of  the  work  of  missions  was  properly  appreci- 
ated, and  that  even  now  we  fall  short  of  our  duty  in  this 
respect.  Hundreds  of  churches  have  been  formed  out  of 
our  material  by  other  denominations ;  and  this  work  is 
still  going  on,  especially  among  recent  immigrants  from 
the  fatherland.  No  one,  however,  can  do  this  work  as 
well  as  those  who  are  allied  to  this  people  by  the  ties  of 
kindred  and  a  common  faith. 

The  difficulties  that  encompassed  the  pioneers  in  the 
work  of  establishing  the  German  Reformed  Church"  in  this 
country  must  have  appeared  almost  insurmountable.  The 
English  churches  had  been  founded  in  the  preceding  cent- 
ury; they  had  been  trained  to  self-reliance  and  compara- 
tive liberality  long  before  Boehm  and  Weiss  began  their 
humble  labors  among  the  scattered  Palatines  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  Germans  were  poor,  and  had  brought  with 
them   from   the   fatherland   local   prejudices   and   various 


422  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH,   GERMAN.     [Chap.  xx. 

shades  of  doctrine.  That  in  all  their  trials  they  were  sus- 
tained by  a  profound  religious  consciousness  cannot  be 
doubted ;  but  they  had  lived  under  a  state  church  and 
could  hardly  conceive  the  idea  of  ecclesiastical  self-gov- 
ernment. Unfamiliar  with  the  language  of  this  country, 
they  were  slow  to  adopt  the  practical  methods  of  their 
neighbors ;  and  that  in  later  days  a  change  of  language 
was  accompanied  by  conflicts  is  not  surprising. 

These  difficulties,  and  many  others,  were  successfully 
overcome.  Strong  men  arose  and  rolled  away  the  obsta- 
cles that  lay  in  the  path  of  progress.  That  these  men 
were  earnest  students  and  profound  thinkers  will  not  be 
denied.  At  a  time  when  the  traditions  of  the  church 
had  grown  faint  they  labored  to  revive  them ;  and  often 
through  doubt  and  darkness  they  led  their  people  onward 
to  the  contemplation  of  high  ideals  of  faith  and  duty.  In 
all  their  conflicts  the  earnestness  of  the  leaders  remained 
undoubted ;  and  it  is  a  wonderful  fact  that  the  church  was 
lifted  up  to  a  higher  plane  of  believing,  thinking,  and  living. 

That  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  has 
rapidly  increased  in  membership  and  efficiency  is  evident 
from  its  most  recent  statistics.  According  to  the  reports 
of  1894  the  General  Synod  now  includes  8  District  Synods, 
55  Classes,  938  ministers,  1646  congregations,  221,473 
communicant  members,  123,333  unconfirmed  members, 
and  there  are  291  students  for  the  ministry.  The  amount 
of  reported  contributions  for  benevolent  purposes  for  the 
current  year  is  $257,947. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  occupies  the 
ground  which  it  has  held  from  the  beginning.  Building 
on  the  one  sure  foundation,  the  fathers  erected  the  tem- 
ple in  which  their  children  worship.  We  are  glad  that 
it  is  not  built  exactly  in  the  fashion  of  the  fatherland,  just 
as  we  rejoice  that  our  civil  laws  and  government  are  not 


CONCLUSION.  423 

exactly  the  same  as  those  which  prevail  in  Europe.  Hold- 
ing firmly  to  fundamental  truth,  the  church  is  growing 
broad  and  liberal,  fraternally  welcoming  to  her  communion 
all  that  love  the  Lord.  Thankful  for  the  blessings  of  the 
era  that  is  ended,  we  gird  up  our  loins  to  enter  another 
century,  trusting  that  the  Lord  will  lead  us  to  more  glori- 
ous revelations  of  his  love  and  mercy ;  for,  in  the  words 
of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  "  He  is  able  to  do  it,  being 
Almighty  God;  and  willing  also,  being  a  faithful  Father." 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITAS  FRATRUM, 

OR 

MORAVIAN  CHURCH,   IN    THE   UNITED   STATES  OF 
AMERICA. 


J.    TAYLOR    HAMILTON, 

Pkofessor  of  Church  History  in  the  Moravian  Theological  Seminary 
AT  Bethlehem,  Pa. 


425 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


The  following  are  the  chief  sources  for  the  history  of  the  Moravian  Church 
in  North  America : 

Manuscript  Sources. 

The  very  extensive  Archives  of  the  Moravian  Church  at  Bethlehem,  Pa., 
are  exceedingly  rich  in  original  documents — autobiographies,  biographies, 
letters,  congregation  diaries,  minutes  of  various  Synods,  Conferences,  etc., 
giving  a  vast  amount  of  information  from  the  very  inception  of  the  work  of 
the  Moravian  Church  in  this  country.  The  following  are  of  primary  impor- 
tance : 

llie  Diary  of  the  Congregation  at  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  i'j42-i8gj. 
Journals  of  the  *^ Pennsylvania  Synods,''''  I'/^s-iy^S. 

Diai'ium  der  Hilt  ten,  I'j^'j—i'j^^.'^  " 

Jiingerhaus  Diariuni,  I'j^b-i'jbo.'^ 
Gevteinhaus  Diariuin,  1^61—1^64.^ 
Geuiein  A^achrichten,  ijb^-iSiS.^ 
Reports  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  General  Synods  of  the  Moravian  Church, 

1746-1836. 
Original  Minutes  and  Documents  of  the  Provincial  Synods  of  the  Ajneriean 

Moravian  Church,  North,  1748— iSgj. 
Monatliche  A^aehrichten  aus  der  Unitdts  iiltesten  Conferenz,  1764-18^8. 
Monatliche  Nachrichten  aus  der  Provinzial  Ileilfer  Conferenz,  1802-1848. 

Printed  Sources. 

•^  Reichel,  William  C,  Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church.  (Contains 
documents  from  1742  to  1757.)  Philadelphia,  J.  B.  Lippincott  &  Co., 
1870. 

Spangenberg,  Augustus  Gottlieb,  Darlegung  richtiger  Antzvorten,  etc. 
I-eipzig  und  Gorlitz,  1 75 1. 

Zinzendorf,  Die  Biidingische  Sam m  lung  einiger  in  die  Kirchen  Historic 
einschlagender  sonderlich  neuen  Schriften.  3  vols.,  Biidingen,  Joh. 
Chr.  Stohr,   1 742-1 745. 

,  Pennsylvanische  A^aehrichten  von  dein  Reiche  Christi.     1742. 

,  Ludivigs  von  Zinzendorf  DEPI  EATTOY.  Das  ist,  A^aturelle  Re- 
flexion es  liber  allerhand  Mater ien.      1 749. 

,  Acta  Fratntm  Unitatis  in  Anglia.     London,  i749- 


1  Contain  MS.   reports  of  congregations,  Synods,  Conferences,  executive 
boards,  etc. 

426 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  '         427 

Diary  of  David  Zeisberger,  ifSi-iygS.     Translated  by  Eugene  F.  Bliss,  and 

printed  by  Robert  Clarke  for  the  Historical  and  Philosophical  Society  of 

Ohio.      2  vols.,  Cincinnati,  1885. 
Periodical  Accounts  Pelating  to  the  Missions  Established  by  the  Protestant 

Church  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum.      Quarterly,  London,  1 790-1 894. 
Verlasse,  tind  Verhandhcngen  von,  und  Mitieihingen  aus  den  allgeineinen 

Synoden  der  Briider-  Unitdt,  i8j6-i88g. 
Journals  of  the  Provincial  Synods  of  the  American  Moravian  Church,  N'orth, 

1847-18QJ. 
Reports  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  anions;  the  Heathen,  1840- 

i8gj. 
The  United  Brethren'' s  Missionary  Intelligencer.      Quarterly,  1822-1848. 
The  Moravian  Church  Miscellany.      Monthly,  1850-1855. 
Der  Briider  Blatt.      Monthly,   1854-1861.     . 
'l/The  Moravian.      Weekly,  1856-1893. 
Der  Briider  Botschafter.      Weekly,  1866-1893. 

Histories  and  Biographies. 
Manuscj-ipt. 

Plitt,  Johannes,  Den/riviirdigkeiten  aus  der  Ceschichte  der  Briider-  Unitdt. 
1841.  (The  part  relating  to  the  history  since  1722  fills  three  voluminous 
and  closely  written  quarto  volumes.  A  copy  is  in  the  library  of  the  Mora- 
vian Theological  Seminary,  Bethlehem,  Pa.  Very  valuable.  As  archi- 
vist of  the  Moravian  church  at  Herrnhut,  Professor  Plitt  draws  from 
and  largely  quotes  original  documents.) 

Printed. 

Bovet,  F^lix,  Le  Comte  de  Zinzendorf  Deuxieme  Edition,  revue  et  aug- 
mentee.  Paris,  1865.  (Translated.  The  Banished  Count.  By  Rev. 
John  Gill.      London,  James  Nisbet  &  Co.,  1865.) 

Burkhardt,  G. ,  Zinzendorf  und  die  Briidergemeine  seiner  Zeit.  Gotha, 
Rud.  Besser,  1866. 

,   Die  Briidergemeine.      Erster  Teil,   Pntstehiing   und  geschichtliche 

Entivickelung  der  Briidcrgemei7te.     Gnadau,  1893. 

Cranz,  David,  Alte  und  neue  Briider-Historie.  Barby,  H.  D.  Ebers,  1771. 
(Translated.  The  Ancient  and  Modern  History  of  the  Brethren.  By 
Benjamin  Latrobe.      I-ondon,  W.  &  A.  Strahan.) 

Croger,  F.  W.,  Geschichte  der  erneuerten  Briiderkirche.  3  vols.,  Gnadau, 
1852-1854. 

Gede7iktage  der  erneuerten  Briiderkirche.  Gnadau,  1 821.  (Translated.  The 
Memorial  Days  of  the  Reneiued  Church  of  the  Unitas  Fratrutn.  Ashton- 
under-Lyne,  1822.) 

Holmes,  Rev.  John,  History  of  the  Protestant  Church  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren.    2  vols.,  London,  1825  and  1830. 

,  Historical  Sketches  of  the  Missions  of  the  United  Brethren  for  Prop- 
agating the  Gospel  a?nong  the  Heathen,  from  their  Commencement  to  the 
Year  i8iy.      2d  ed.,  London,  1827. 

Kolbing,  Friedrich  Ludwig,  A'achricht  von  dem  Anfange  der  bischoflichen 
Ordination  in  der  erneuerten  evangelischen  Briiderkirche.  Gnadau, 
C.  D.  Hans,  1835. 


428  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Lockwood,  Rev.  J,  P.,  Memorials  of  the  Life  of  Peter  Bohler,  Bishop  of 
the  ChiDih  of  the  U)iited  Brethren.  With  an  Introduction  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Jackson.      London,  Wesleyan  Conference  Office,  1868. 

Loskiel,  Georg  Heinrich,  Gesehichte  iter  Mission  der  exmngelischen  Brii- 
der  itnter  den  Indiaiiem  in  N'ordainerika.  Barby,  1789.  (Translated. 
LListory  of  tJie  A/ission  of  the  United  Brethren  among  the  Indians  in  North 
Ameriea.  By  George  Henry  Loskiel.  Translated  from  the  German  by 
Christian  Ignatius  Latrobe.      London,  1794.) 

Plitt,  Hermann,  D.D.,  Zinzendorfs  Theologie.  Gotha,  F.  A.  Perthes, 
1869,  1871,  1874. 

Reicliel,  Rev.  Levin  T.,  The  Moravians  in  Xorth  Carolina:  An  Authen- 
tic History.     Salem,  N.  C,  O.  A.  Keehln,  1857. 

, ,  The  Early  History  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  AVrth 

America,  A.D.  lyj^—jy^S.      (Vol.  iii.  of  the   Tra7isactions  of  the  Mora- 
vian Historical  Society.)     Nazareth,  Pa.,  1888. 

Reichel,  William  C,  Memorial  of  the  Dedication  of  Monu?nents  Erected  by 
the  Moravian  Historical  Society  to  Mark  the  Sites  of  Ancient  Missionary 
Stations  in  iVeio  York  and  Connecticut.      Philadelphia,  Collins,  i860. 

Risler,  Jeremias,  Leben  August  Gottlieb  Spangenbergs,  Bischofs  der  evan- 
gelischen  Priiderkirche.      Barby,  1794. 

Ritter,  Abraham,  History  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  Philadelphia,  from 
its  Foundation  in  1^42  to  the  Present  Time.  Philadelphia,  C.  Sherman  & 
Son,  1S57. 

Schrautenbach,  Ludwig  Carl,  Freiherr  von,  Der  Graf  Zinzendorf  und 
die  Briidergeineine  seiner  Zeit.  Ilerausgegeben  von  F.  W.  Kolbing. 
Gnadau,  11.  L.  Menz,  1851. 

Schultze,  A.,  D.D.,  Die  Missionsfelder  der  erneuei-ten  Briiderkirche. 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  1890. 

Scliweinitz,  Rt,  Rev.  Edmund  de,  S.T.D.,-  The  Moi-avian  Maniml. 
2d  enlarged  ed.,  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  A.  C.  &  H.  T.  Clauder,  1869. 

,  The  Life  and   Times  of  David  Zeisberger,  the  IFestern  Pioneer  and 

Apostle  of  the  Indians.      Philadelphia,  J.  B.  Lippincott  &  Co.,  1870. 

,  The  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  .Society  of  the  United  Brethren  for 

Propagating  the  Gospel  among  the  Heathen.      Bethlehem,  1887. 

The  Financial  History  of  the  American  Pnnl)ice  of  the  Unitas  Fra- 


trum,  and  of  its  Sustentation  Fund.      Bethlehem,  1877. 

Spangenberg,  Augustus  Gottlieb,  Leben  des  Herrn  A'icolaus  Ludwig, 
Grafen  und  Herrn  von  Zinzeiulorf  U)ui  Pottendorf  8  Theile  in  3  Bande. 
Barby,  1772-1775.  (Translated.  The  Life  of  A^icholas  Louis,  Count  Zin- 
zendotf.  By  Samuel  Jackson.  With  an  Introductory  Preface  by  the 
Rev.  P.  Latrt)l)e.      London,  Samuel  Holdsworth,  1838.) 

Thompson,  Augustvis,  D.D.,  Moraviaji  Missions.  New  York,  Charles 
Scribner's  Sons,  1882. 

Transactions  of  the  Mora^'ian  Historical  Society.     Nazareth,  Pa.,  1859-1892. 

Verbeek,  Jacob  Wilhelm,  Des  Grafen  AUcolaus  Ludiutg  von  Zinzendorf 
Leben  tind  Charakter,  in  kurzgcfasster  Darstellinig  nach  A.  G.  Span- 
genberg''s  Biographic  desselben  und  Qucllen  aus  dem  Archiv  der  evangel- 
ischen  Briider-Unitdt.     Gnadau,  H.  L.  Menz,  1845. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


For  a  brief  characterization  of  the  doctrinal  standpoint, 
ritual,  and  polity  of  the  Moravian  Church  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  vol.  i.  of  the  present  series,  pp.  272-275.  The 
summary  there  given  must,  however,  be  supplemented  by 
the  following  statements  :  All  obligatory  use  of  the  lot  was 
abrogated  by  the  General  Synod  of  1889.  The  grade  of 
acolytes  is  obsolete  in  America.  Save  as  a  board  of  final 
appeal,  and  as  charged  with  watching  over  the  carrying 
out  of  the  enactments  of  the  General  Synods,  the  Unity's 
Elders'  Conference  as  a  whole  can  scarcely  be  said  to 
any  longer  exert  a  direct  influence  upon  the  affairs  of  the 
American  Province.  It  is  otherwise,  however,  with  the 
Department  of  Missions,  clothed  with  the  conduct  of  the 
work  of  evangelization  among  the  heathen  and  in  Roman 
Catholic  lands — as  regards  both  men  and  means  the  joint 
undertaking  of  the  Moravian  Church  throughout  the  world. 

The  scope  of  these  missions  at  the  present  time  may  be 
briefly  summed  up  as  follows  :  Greenland,  Labrador,  A  laska, 
the  Indians  of  North  America,  the  West  Indies,  Demerara, 
the  Mosquito  Coast,  Surinam,  Cape  Colony,  Kaffraria,  Ger- 
man East  Africa,  Victoria,  Queensland,  Cashmere  and  Lit- 
tle Tibet,  the  Leper  Hospital  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  work 
of  evangelization  in  Bohemia  and  Moravia.      Exclusive  of 

429 


430  PREFATORY  NOTE. 

the  last  mentioned,  the  latest  statistics  report  122  stations 
and  26  out-stations,  with  338  foreign  agents  and  59  native 
missionaries,  having  93,246  converts  in  charge,  the  total 
cost  being  from  $275,000  to  $400,000  annually. 

Of  this  extensive  work  the  following  pages  can  give  no 
account,  their  purpose  being  confined  to  a  narration  of  the 
establishment  and  progress  of  the  Moravian  Church  vithin 
the  United  States  of  America. 


THE    MORAVIANS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

INTRODUCTION.^ 


Like  most  Protestant  churches,  the  Unitas  Fratrum  had 
its  origin  in  a  revival  of  personal,  experimental  religion. 

When  the  exhaustion  of  material  resources  and  spiritual 
energies  resulting  from  the  Hussite  wars  made  Bohemia 
ready  to  accept  the  Compactata  of  Basel,  there  were  de- 
vout persons  who  found  no  satisfaction  in  the  semi-Rom- 
ish national  church.  Availing  themselves  of  permission  to 
retire  to  Lititz,  an  estate  near  the  eastern  frontier,  under 
the  lead  of  Gregory,  the  nephew  of  the  Primate  Roky- 
cana,  they  formed  in  1457  what  was  primarily  meant  to 
be  a  Christian  association  rather  than  a  new  sect.  But 
circumstances,  especially  persecutions,  soon  compelled  this 
Unity  of  the  Brethren  to  completely  separate  from  existing 
ecclesiastical  bodies.  In  1467,  at  a  Synod  held  at  Lhota, 
near  Reichenau,  three  of  their  number  were  formally  set 
apart  and  ordained  by  priests  who  had  joined  them  pre- 
viously.    To  secure  a  ministry  whose  validity  even  perse- 

'  For  the  history  of  the  Moravian  Church  previous  to  1722,  see  "The 
History  of  tlie  Unitas  Fratrum,"  by  Bishop  Edmund  de  Schweinitz,  S.T.D., 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  1885. 

431 


432  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  i. 

CLitors  must  admit,  episcopal  consecration  was  requested 
and  received  from  Bishop  Stephen,  of  the  Austrian  Wal- 
denses,  to  whom  the  episcopate  had  come  from  Roman 
Cathohc  bishops  at  the  Council  of  Basel.  Michael  Brada- 
cius,  the  recipient  of  the  episcopate  from  Bishop  Stephen, 
then  reordained  the  three  who  had  previously  received  pres- 
byterial  ordination. 

Gradually  a  well-ordered  polity  was  established.  When 
Luther  appeared  this  evangelical  church  of  Bohemia  and 
Moravia  embraced  about  four  hundred  parishes,  with  a 
membership  of  two  hundred  thousand;  had  its  own  con- 
fession of  faith  and  catechism  and  hymn-book,  and  was 
disseminating  evangelical  literature  from  two  printing- 
offices.  The  Brethren  were  in  hearty  sympathy  with  both 
the  German  and  the  Swiss  Reformers.  Their  deputations 
were  cordially  received  at  Wittenberg,  Geneva,  and  Strass- 
burg. 

In  1549  the  persecutions  of  Ferdinand  I.  drove  many  of 
their  number  into  exile,  and  this  led  to  the  establishment 
of  the  Unity  in  Poland  and  East  Prussia. 

But  the  counter-reformation,  inaugurated  by  Fred- 
erick II.  after  his  victory  on  the  White  Mountain  in  1620, 
practically  blotted  out  the  church  of  the  Bohemian  and 
Moravian  Brethren  from  the  home  lands.  Thousands  lost 
their  lives  through  cruel  tortures ;  many  more  thousands 
were  expatriated,  and  as  exiles  were  merged  into  other  Prot- 
estant churches.  Bohemia's  population  shrank  from  three 
million  to  eight  hundred  thousand.  A  phenix-like  return 
of  prosperity,  with  Lissa,  in  Poland,  as  the  new  center, 
rendered  illustrious  by  the  fame  of  its  presiding  bishop, 
Comenius,  Froebel's  anticipator,  did  not  endure.  During 
the  war  between  Poland  and  Sweden,  Lissa  was  given  to 
the  torch  in  1656.  In  consequence  the  governing  board 
of  the  church  scattered,  Comenius  finding  a  refuge  in  Hoi- 


CHRISTIAN  DAVID.  433 

land.  After  his  death,  in  1670,  though  the  episcopate  was 
maintained,  most  of  the  parishes  in  Poland  gradually  co- 
alesced with  the  Reformed,  for  whom  an  affniity  had  been 
manifested  since  the  Consensus  of  Sendomir  in  1570.  In 
Hungary,  and  also  in  Prussia,  a  few  parishes  preserved 
their  distinctive  organization.  In  Moravia  and  Bohemia 
secret  adherents  continued  to  cherish  the  doctrines  and 
usages  of  the  Unity,  though  outwardly  conforming  to 
Rome — notably  the  Pechatschek  and  Schallmann  families 
of  Bohemia,  and  the  Kutschera,  Schneider,  Kunz,  Beier, 
Stach,  Zeisberger,  Tanneberger,  Jaschke,  Neisser,  Grass- 
mann,  and  Nitschmann  families  of  Moravia. 

God  searched  out  two  extremes  of  society  for  his  agents 
in  the  resuscitation  of  this  almost  extinct  evangelical  church, 
a  carpenter  and  a  nobleman.  It  was  the  former,^  Christian 
David,  born  at  Senftleben,  in  Moravia,  in  1690,  who  first 
came  into  touch  with  the  "  Hidden  Seed."  After  passing 
through  checkered  "  Wanderjahre  "  and  wearing  a  uniform 
for  Frederick  William  I.  before  Stralsund,  and  again  plying 
chisel  and  plane  in  Silesia,  in  171 7  he  consecrated  himself 
to  the  work  of  an  evangelist,  and  as  such  began  to  visit 
various  localities  in  Moravia,  among  the  rest  Sehlen,  where 
dwelt  five  brothers  named  Neisser,  whose  grandfather, 
George  Jaschke,  had  been  a  patriarch  among  the  "  Hid- 
den Seed  "  of  the  Unity.  As  a  result  these  men  began  to 
contemplate  emigration  from  priest-ridden  Moravia ;  but 
it  was  not  until  1722  that  definite  prospects  crystallized 
desires  into  actions.  A  young  Saxon  nobleman,  remem- 
bering the  experiences  of  his  own  forefathers  who  had  re- 
moved from  Austria  to  Franconia  for  conscience'  sake,  then 
assured  Christian  David  that  these  Moravians  might  find  a 
temporary  refuge  on  his  estate. 

1  Croger,  "  Geschichte  dcr  crneuerten  Briiderkirche,"  pp.  12  scq.;  "  Ge- 
denktage  der  erneuerten  Briiderkirche,"  pp.  i  seq. 


434  ^^^  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  i. 

This  was  Nicholas  Louis,  Count  Zinzendorf,  the  scion  of 
an  Austrian  house  dating  back  to  the  thirteenth  century.^ 
His  father  had  been  in  the  diplomatic  service  at  Dresden, 
where  he  was  born  on  May  28,  i  700.  His  mother,  Char- 
lotta  Justina  von  Gersdorf,  was  the  daughter  of  the  prefect 
of  Upper  Lusatia.  Both  parents  were  devout  Christians 
and  warm  friends  of  Philip  Jacob  Spener,  who  became  one 
of  the  sponsors  of  their  son.  The  death  of  his  father  in 
July  caused  the  return  of  his  mother  to  the  home  of  her 
family,  the  castle  of  Gross  Hennersdorf.  Here  the  young 
count  spent  his  childhood  under  the  tutelage  of  his  grand- 
mother, the  widowed  Countess  Henrietta  von  Gersdorf; 
for  his  mother  in  1704  married  the  Prussian  Field-Marshal 
Von  Nazmer.  Pietistic  influences  surrounded  him,  and  his 
ardent  disposition  responded  in  a  precocious  manifestation 
of  spirituality." 

Sent  to  Francke's  Pasdagogium  at  Halle  when  only  ten, 
at  fifteen  young  Zinzendorf  covenanted  with  some  of  his 
school-friends  to  confess  Christ  and  seek  the  conversion  of 
all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men.^  But  his  relatives  des- 
tined him  for  the  diplomatic  service,  and  therefore  in  1716 
sent  him  to  Wittenberg  to  study  law.  His  free  time  he 
devoted  to  theology  in  preference. 

In  the  autumn  of  1721  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
an  aulic  councilor  and  justiciary  at  Dresden.  Outspokenly 
consistent  in  his  service  of  Christ,  his  piety  astonished  the 
court  of  Augustus  the  Brave,  and  drew  down  ridicule. 
In  April,  1722,  he  purchased  from  his  grandmother  the 
domain  of  Berthelsdorf,'^  in  Upper  Lusatia,  meaning  to  set- 
tle down  as  a  landed  proprietor  devoted  to  the  material 


1  Plitt,  "  Gcschiclite  der  crneuerten  Briider-Unitat,"  MS.,  %  118. 

2  Verlieek,  "  Lcl)cn  Zinzendorf,"  pp.  l6  scq. 

3  "  Biidingische  Sammlung, "  vol.  ii.,  p.  677- 

4  Plitt,  "  Geschichte,"  etc.,  \%  I2'j,  128. 


THE  FOUNDING    OF  IIEKRNIWT.  435 

and  religious  prosperity  of  his  people  and  to  the  further- 
ance of  vital  godliness  throughout  the  land.  The  parish 
clergyman  dying  while  the  sale  was  being  effected,  to 
further  these  plans  he  bestowed  the  vacant  living  on  John 
Andrew  Rothe,  an  able  and  zealous  candidate  for  orders. 
Rothe  brought  to  his  patron's  attention  Christian  David 
and  his  compatriots,  who  were  longing  for  liberty  of  con- 
science. The  count  granted  them  a  conditional  refuge, 
but  did  not  himself  remove  to  his  new  home  till  after  the 
first  Moravians  had  settled  there.  There  was  no  intention 
on  his  part  to  espouse  their  cause.^  Other  matters  of 
greater  personal  consequence  were  then  in  his  mind ;  for 
on  September  7th  he  was  married  at  Ebersdorf,  in  Voigt- 
land,  to  the  Countess  Erdmuth  Dorothea  Reuss,  and  the 
young  couple  did  not  proceed  to  their  country-seat  till 
the  Christmas  holidays. 

On  receiving  the  count's  promise,  Christian  David  set  out 
once  more  for  Moravia,  and  reached  Sehlen  on  May  25, 
1 722.  In  response,  Augustin  and  Jacob  Neisser,  with  their 
families,  ten  souls  in  all,  left  Sehlen  two  nights  afterward, 2 
under  cover  of  the  darkness,  absolutely  forsaking  every- 
thing— home,  lands,  lucrative  trades,  friends.  The  long  jour- 
ney on  foot  was  very  wearisome,  for  a  girl  of  three  years 
and  twins  of  twelve  weeks  had  to  be  carried ;  and  their  re- 
ception was  chilling,  since  the  Baroness  Von  Gersdorf  did  not 
approve  of  the  quixotic" chanty  that  might  result  in  com- 
plications respecting  these  aliens.  Their  refuge,  moreover, 
was  an  unreclaimed  wilderness.  But  encouraged  by  Heitz, 
Zinzendorf's  manager,  and  Marche,  tutor  in  the  Gersdorf 
family,  and  by  Christian  David,  they  commenced  to  build 
near  the  highway  from  Lobau  to  Zittau,  and  a  half-hour's 
walk  from  the  village  of  Berthelsdorf.     The  count  did  not 

1  Plitt,  "  Geschichte,"  etc.,  ^  133. 

2  "  Gedenktage  der  erneuerten  Briiderkirche,"  pp.  1-33. 


436  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.!. 

come  into  contact  with  them  in  person  till  the  end  of  the 
year. 

In  I  724  he  and  certain  of  his  friends,  in  pursuance  of 
his  plan  to  do  for  Lusatia  what  Spener  and  Francke  had 
done  for  Halle,  commenced  to  erect  at  Herrnhut,  as  the 
new  settlement  was  named,  a  college  for  young  noblemen, 
to  be  conducted  similarly  to  the  Paedagogium  at  Halle.^ 
By  a  remarkable  coincidence,  on  the  very  day  (May  12th) 
when  its  corner-stone  was  laid  with  impressi\'e  ceremonies 
there  arrived  five  young  Moravians,  who  intended  merely 
to  visit  the  Neissers  and  then  proceed  to  Lissa,  with  the 
aim  of  resuscitating  the  Unitas  Fratrum.  To  this  they  had 
been  impelled  by  a  powerful  revival  of  religion  in  Kun- 
walde  and  Zauchtenthal,^  their  homes,  promoted  by  Chris- 
tian David's  visits.  But  they  were  so  deeply  impressed 
by  the  transaction  they  now  witnessed  as  to  determine  to 
cast  in  their  lot  with  that  of  the  refugees.  Thus  met  to- 
gether two  streams  of  tendency  which  in  commingling 
were  destined  to  resuscitate  the  church  of  the  Moravian 
Brethren.  It  was  from  these  men  that  Zinzendorf  first 
heard  of  the  history,  polity,  and  discipline  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum. 

Month  by  month  larger  and  smaller  companies  of  exiles 
swelled  the  population  of  Herrnhut.  The  fervid  preaching 
of  Rothe  at  Berthelsdorf  also  began  to  attract  awakened 
men  and  women  from  neighboring  parishes  and  from  dis- 
tant parts  of  Germany.^  Among  the  rest,  in  1726  several 
families  of  Schvvenkfelder  were  driven  thither  by  persecu- 
tion in  their  Silesian  home,  and  received  temporary  shel- 
ter. Increase  in  population  furthered  material  pro.sperity, 
but  also  produced  a  ferment  of  disagreements  on  doctrinal 

1  Plitt,  "  Gescliichte,"  etc.,  i^S  135;  "  (icdunktai^^e,"  pp.  54-71. 

2  Croger,  "  Geschiclitc  der  crneuerten  llriulerkirclie,"  vol.  i.,  pp.  35  seq. 
^  Schrautenbach,  "  Zinzendorf,"  p.  112;  Plitt,  "  Ge.schichte,"  etc.,  ^  139. 


RESUSCITATION  OF   THE    UNITY.  437 

points.^  In  the  spring  of  1727  Zinzendorf  resigned  his 
office  in  Dresden  and  devoted  himself  to  the  alleviation 
of  this  state  of  affairs.  Certain  statutes  were  formulated, 
based  upon  the  constitution  and  discipline  of  the  Brethren, 
as  handed  down  by  tradition  in  the  families  of  the  refugee 
Moravians  ;2  and  the  desire  for  inner  unity  culminated  in 
a  powerful  experience  of  the  presence  and  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  connection  with  a  celebration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  in  the  parish  church  at  Berthelsdorf  on  the  13th  of 
August.^  Young  and  old  alike  felt  the  gracious  influence 
of  this  day. 

Minute  regulations  for  the  culture  of  the  Christian  life 
followed.  Herrnhut  gradually  assumed  a  position  distinct 
from  the  parish  of  Berthelsdorf.  Zinzendorf's  extensive 
correspondence  with  adherents  of  Pietism  led  to  requests 
to  be  supplied  with  tutors,  schoolmasters,  and  chaplains 
from  Herrnhut ;  and  soon  there  arose  an  extensive  net- 
work of  itineracy  in  various  parts  of  the  Continent,'^  which 
later  received  the  name  of  the  Diaspora,  an  organization 
for  the  promotion  of  experimental  religion  without  an  en- 
deavor to  detach  members  from  either  wing  of  the  Protest- 
ant faith. ^  All  this  had  attracted  the  attention  of  Daniel 
Ernst  Jablonski,  court  preacher  in  Berlin,  and  one  of  the 
surviving  bishops  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum.  After  he  had 
convinced  himself  that  the  exiles  at  Herrnhut  were  the 
rightful  representatives  of  this  ancient  evangelical  church, 
of  his  own  accord  he  urged  the  transfer  of  the  episcopate 
to  them.  Accordingly,  in  1735,  with  the  consent  of  Sit- 
kovius,  the  other  surviving  bishop,  who  was  at  the  same 
time   superintendent   of  the    Reformed   congregations   in 

1  "  Biidingische  Sammlung, "  vol.  i.,  p.  632. 

2  Croger,  vol.  i.,  p.  92;  "  Gedenktage, "  pp.  88  seq.,  107  seq. 

3  Croger,  vol.  i.,  pp.  loS-iio,  11 7-1 19;  "  Gedenktage,"  pp.  104-106. 

4  Kolbing,  "  Bischofliche  Ordination,''  p.  39. 

5  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vol.  i.,  p.  3. 


438  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  I. 

Poland,  Jablonski  consecrated  David  Nitschmann  at  Ber- 
lin.^ Two  years  later,  by  the  advice  of  Archbishop  Potter, 
of  Canterbury,  and  of  Frederick  William  I.  of  Prussia,  Zin- 
zendorf  himself  received  episcopal  consecration^  at  the 
hands  of  Jablonski  and  Nitschmann,  having  previously 
been  examined  in  theology  by  Lutheran  divines  commis- 
sioned for  this  purpose  by  the  king,  and  having  received  a 
favorable  testimonial  from  them,  as  he  had  also  in  previous 
years  from  examiners  of  the  University  of  Greifswald  and 
from  the  faculty  of  Tubingen. ^ 

But  previous  to  this  transfer  of  the  episcopate,  and  with 
it  the  formal  recognition  of  the  continuity  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum  by  those  best  in  a  position  to  judge,  Herrnhut 
had  become  a  center  of  foreign  missions.'^  In  1732  the 
negroes  of  the  West  Indies  had  begun  to  receive  the  gos- 
pel from  Leonard  Dober  and  David  Nitschmann,  whose 
subsequent  consecration  was  primarily  intended  to  sub- 
serve the  commissioning  of  missionaries  duly  authorized 
to  administer  the  sacraments.  In  1733  Christian  David 
and  the  two  cousins  Stach  had  set  out  for  Greenland.^ 
In  1733  St.  Croix  was  added  to  St.  Thomas  as  a  mission 
field.*'  In  1734  Lapland  had  been  visited,  and  two  con- 
tingents were  dispatched  to  North  and  South  America — 
to  Georgia  and  to  Surinam.'^ 

1  Kolbing,  "  Bischofliche  Ordination,"  pp.  49  seq. 

2  Spangenberg,  "  Leben  Zinzendorf, "  p.  1038;  "  Biidingische  Sammlung," 
vol.  i.,  p.  355;  vol.  ii.,  p.  449;  vol.  iii.,  p.  343. 

3  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vol.  i.,  p.  458;  vol.  iii.,  p.  35. 

*  "  Gedenktage,"  p.  134;  Holmes,  "  History  of  the  Missions  of  the  Breth- 
ren," p.  293;  Thompson,  "  Moravian  Missions,"  pp.  79  seq. 

5  Cranz,  "  History  of  Greenland  and  of  the  Missions,"  etc. 

6  Holmes,  "Missions,"  p.  437.  ■?  Ibid.,  p.  230. 


CHAPTER    II. 

INITIATORY   STAGES   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES.^ 

It  was  not  Zinzendorf's  purpose  to  keep  the  Schwenk- 
felder  on  his  estates,  nor  would  the  Saxon  government 
allow  it.  Hence  in  1733  he  corresponded  in  their  behalf 
with  the  trustees  of  the  colony  of  Georgia  through  their 
agent,  Herr  Von  Pfeil,  ambassador  of  Wiirtemberg  at  Ratis- 
bon.  The  response  was  the  promise  of  land  and  of  a  free 
passage  thither.  Having  left  Berthelsdorf  in  May,  i  734, 
under  the  lead  of  George  Wiegner,  the  Schwenkfelder 
changed  their  plans  and  proceeded  to  Pennsylvania.  With 
them  was  sent  a  Moravian,  George  Bonisch,  as  an  itinerant 
evangelist  among  the  German  settlers. 

Now  it  seemed  wise  to  obtain  for  the  Moravians  the  tract 
abandoned  by  the  Schwenkfelder  in  Georgia.  It  would 
afford  an  excellent  base  of  operations  among  the  Cherokee 
and  Creek  Indians,-  and  might  become  a  welcome  refuge 
should  the  Saxon  government  accede  to  the  wishes  of  the 
opponents  of  Herrnhut.  Governor  Oglethorpe's  good-will 
served  to  secure  five  hundred  acres  for  the  church  and  fifty 
in  addition  for  the  negotiator  on  the  part  of  the  Brethren, 
Augustus  Gottlieb  Spangenberg,^  part  of  the  site  of  the 
present   city   of  Savannah.      Here  a  company   of  nine — 

1  For  the  beginnings  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  America  up  to  1748,  see, 
in  general,  Reichel,  "  The  Early  History  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren in  North  America." 

2  "  Biidingische  Sammlung, "  vol.  i.,  p.  351. 

3  Risler,  "  Spangenberg,"  §^  75-83;  Plitt,  §  163. 

439 


440  THE  MORAVIANS.  '        [Chap.  ii. 

Anton  Seiffert,  John  Toltschig-,  Gottfried  Haberecht,  Gott- 
hard  Demuth,  Peter  Rose,  Michael  Haberland,  George 
Haberland,  Frederick  Seidel,  and  George  Waschke — ar- 
rived with  Spangenberg  on  April  7,  1735.  ^ 

A  certain  amount  of  missionary  work  was  accomplished. 
Most  of  the  Indians  who  had  any  knowledge  of  English 
gave  a  grateful  hearing  to  Spangenberg  especially,  and 
Chief  Tomotschatchi  became  his  friend.  Twenty  addi- 
tional colonists  arrived  early  the  next  year,  these  being 
the  memorable  fellow-voyagers  of  the  Wesleys.-  On  the 
28th  of  February  Anton  Seiffert  was  solemnly  ordained 
as  pastor  of  the  colony  by  Bishop  Nitschmann.  John 
Wesley  was  present  at  thaim-pressive  though  simple  ser- 
vice, and  in  his  "Journal  "  refers  to  his  having  been  carried 
in  thought  back  to  the  days  of  the  primitive  church.  Two 
weeks  later  Spangenberg  left  for  Pennsylvania,  to  take  the 
place  of  Bdnisch. 

In  I  738,  with  the  approval  of  Archbishop  Potter,  of  Can- 
terbury, an  attempt  was  made  to  evangelize  negro  slaves 
near  Purysburg,  S.  C,  by  Peter  Bohler,  John  Wesley's 
spiritual  mentor,^  with  the  aid  of  George  Schulius  and 
young  David  Zeisberger.  Schulius  succumbed  to  the  cli- 
matic fever  the  next  summer.  When  Bohler,  who  had  also 
preached  to  the  Swiss  settlers,  joined  his  brethren  at  Savan- 
nah, after  having  been  himself  at  death's  door,  he  found 

1  Risler,  "  Spangenl^erg, "  p.  126. 

2  From  "  An  Extract  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Journal  from  his  Em- 
barking for  Georgia  to  his  Return  to  London"  (third  edition,  1765,  Bristol, 
William  Pine),  it  is  plain  that  it  was  the  Moravians  wliose  calmness  in  the 
storm  on  January  25th  deeply  impressed  him.  Though  he  refers  to  them 
only  as  "  the  Germans  "  (p.  7),  on  page  2  he  refers  to  "  David  Nitschmann, 
the  Bishop  of  the  Gcnuansy  Moreover,  landing  in  Georgia  on  February  6th, 
he  next  day  debates  with  Spangenberg,  "  a  pastor  of  the  Germans,"  respect- 
ing possible  assurance  of  salvation,  a  tiling  with  regard  to  which  he  had  not 
yet  come  into  clearness. 

3  Lockhart's  "Peter  Bohler";  Wesley's  "Diary,"  February  and  May, 
1738. 


REMOVAL    TO  PENNSYLVANIA.  441 

that  their  numbers  had  sadly  dwindled,  owing  to  fevers 
and  troubles  arising  from  their  refusal  to  bear  arms  in  the 
war  with  Spain.  Some  had  died,  others  returned  to  Europe, 
and  others  left  for  Germantown,  in  Pennsylvania.  Hence 
when  George  Wbitefield,  on  his  second  visit  to  Georgia, 
in  I  740,  oflfered  the  remnant  of  the  colony  a  free  passage 
to  Philadelphia,  they  gratefully  availed  themselves  of  his 
kindness,  hoping  to  find  not  only  Spangenberg,  but  also 
Bishop  Nitschmann,  since  a  Synod  held  at  Marienborn, 
near  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  the  previous  November,  had 
commissioned  him  to  lead  a  band  of  evangelists  to  Penn- 
sylvania. But  the  former  had  already  left,  and  the  latter 
had  not  yet  arrived.  On  May  5th  Whitefield,  who  was 
about  to  buy  from  Mr.  William  Allen,  of  Philadelphia,  five 
thousand  acres  in  the  "  Forks  of  the  Delaware,"  in  order 
to  found  a  school  for  negroes  and  a  village  for  destitute 
Englishmen,  came  to  Bohler  with  the  proposal  that  the 
Moravians  should  undertake  the  woodwork  and  he  him- 
self superintend  the  entire  erection  of  the  school.  After 
all  preliminaries  had  been  settled  a  company  of  eleven 
Moravians  made  their  way  to  Nazareth,  as  the  purchaser 
had  named  the  tract,  a  wilderness  tenanted  by  Indians. 
They  arrived  on  May  30th.  For  a  while  the  only  draw- 
backs were  the  common  experiences  of  pioneers ;  but  dif- 
ferences wath  Bohler  on  doctrinal  points,  when  discussions 
arose  on  his  coming  to  report  about  the  work,  caused 
Whitefield  to  dismiss  the  Moravians  from  his  employ,  with 
a  notice,  severe  as  abrupt,  to  quit  his  land  at  once.  Win- 
ter was  at  hand.  Providentially  Nitschmann's  forerunner, 
Andrew  Eschenbach,  now  arrived,  and  cheered  them  with 
the  prospect  of  his  speedy  arrival.  He  did  come,  with 
others,  in  December,  and  was  empowered  to  purchase  land 
to  begin  a  settlement.^     The  winter  had  to  be  spent  at 

1  Plitt,  "  Geschichte,"  etc.,  %  198. 


442  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  il. 

Nazareth;  but  even  before  the  purchase  of  five  hundred 
acres  at  the  juncture  of  the  Lehigh  and  the  Monocacy, 
from  Wilham  Allen,  had  been  fully  consummated  the  next 
April,  the  first  log  cabin  had  been  put  up  in  a  clearing  on 
the  hillside  above  the  winding  Monocacy.^  Bohler  was 
recalled  to  Europe.  Before  long  the  agreeably  surprising 
news  came  from  London  that  the  Nazareth  tract  would 
also  become  the  property  of  the  church,  the  death  of  Mr. 
Seward,  who  had  loaned  him  the  money,  having  found 
Whitefield  unable  to  settle  with  the  executors  and  glad  to 
negotiate  a  sale  with  Spangenberg  and  Bohler. 

Additional  candidates  for  missionary  service  arrived  in 
the  fall,  and  just  before  the  close  of  the  year  the  town 
that  was  to  be  received  a  significant  name.  On  the  2d  of 
December  Count  Zinzendorf  had  arrived  in  New  York,  and, 
proceeding  by  way  of  Philadelphia,  reached  the  Brethren 
on  December  21st.  On  Christmas  eve,  in  connection  with 
a  celebration  of  the  nativity,  he  named  the  place  Bethle- 
hem, in  token  of  his  fervent  desire  and  ardent  hope  that 
here  the  true  bread  of  life  might  be  broken  for  all  who 
hungered. 

i  Reichel,  "  Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church,"  p.  162. 


CHAPTER    III. 

ZINZENDORF    IN    PENNSYLVANIA.^ 

Banished  from  Saxony  in  1736  without  notification 
of  charges  or  process  of  trial,  "  because  he  wished  to  Hve 
piously  though  a  count,"  as  Frederick  William  I.  of  Prussia 
aptly  put  it,  Count  Zinzendorf  had  since  then  been  devot- 
ing himself  wholly  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  Frank- 
fort-on-the-Main  and  its  vicinity,  Berlin,  Livonia,  Holland, 
Switzerland,  the  Danish  West  Indies,  and  London  had  been 
scenes  of  his  activity ;  and  now  circumstances  seemed  to 
favor  his  most  chivalrous  desires  to  be  of  use  in  a  case  of 
utmost  need. 

Although  occupied  by  the  whites  only  to  the  Susque- 
hanna and  the  Blue  Mountains,  in  the  second  quarter  of 
the  eighteenth  century  Pennsylvania  contained  a  mixture 
of  peoples,  among  whom  the  reaction  from  the  oppression 
and  the  formalism  of  state  churches  had  produced  some- 
thing like  religious  anarchy.  Adherents  could  be  won  for 
all  shades  of  tenets,  ranging  from  utter  religious  indifference 
to  fanatical  separatism.  The  majority  of  the  Germans, 
roughly  estimated  at  about  one  hundred  thousand,  who 

1  Chief  sources  for  this  chapter  are:  (i)  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vols, 
ii.  and  iii.  ;  (2)  Zinzendorf,  "  Pennsylvanische  Nachrichten  vom  Reiche 
Gottes,  1742";  (3)  Schrautenbach,  "Zinzendorf,"  chaps,  xv.  and  xvi.  ;  (4) 
"  Minutes  of  the  Pennsylvania  Synods,"  MS.,  Bethlehem  Archives  ;  (5)  "  The 
Church  Book  of  Tulpehocken,"  MS.,  Bethlehem  Archives;  (6)  Plitt,  ^  211, 
based  on  Zinzendorf's  letters  written  from  Pennsylvania,  and  the  "  Jiinger- 
haus  Diarium  ";  (7)  sundry  MSS.  in  the  Bethlehem  Archives. 

443 


444  '^^^  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  hi. 

had  pressed  in  since  the  arrival  of  Pastorius  in  1685,  had 
formerly  been  at  least  nominal  church-members.  Though 
some  had  originally  sought  the  Western  world  for  con- 
science' sake,  few  preachers  or  schoolmasters  were  to  be 
found  by  whose  labors  they  might  profit ;  and  for  the  Eng- 
lish they  had  a  strong  antipathy.  Thousands  lived  with- 
out worship  of  any  kind.  There  were  heads  of  families 
who  had  never  been  baptized,  and  who  brought  up  their 
children  with  no  regard  for  the '  Christian  faith.  It  had 
become  a  byword  that  a  man  who  was  utterly  indifferent 
about  his  spiritual  life  belonged  to  "  the  Pennsylvania 
Church."  '  Neither  the  Lutherans  nor  the  Reformed  in 
the  few  parishes  which  were  organized  maintained  a  steady 
supply  of  pastors ;  and  even  had  there  been  no  vacancies 
the  number  would  have  been  wholly  inadequate  to  the 
needs  of  the  German  population.  Moreover  all  sorts  of 
religious  excrescences  flourished — witness  the  Protestant 
monks  and  nuns  of  Ephrata.  It  was  some  knowledge  of 
this  state  of  things  that  had  led  to  the  sending  of  George 
Bonisch  in  1734,  and  of  Spangenberg  in  1736.  The  lat- 
ter, while  living  with  the  Schwenkfelder,  had  been  deeply 
pained  at  what  he  observed.  One  outcome  of  the  Sunday 
services  which  he  regularly  held  at  the  house  of  Christopher 
Wiegner  was  the  formation  of  an  association  to  amend  the 
deplorable  religious  destitution  of  the  Germans,  known  as 
"  The  Associated  Brethren  of  Skippack,"  ^  to  which  men  of 
various  communions  belonged — earnest  spirits  like  Henry 
Frey,  Christian  Weber,  Jost  Schmidt,  Henry  Antes,  William 
Frey,  George  Stiefel,  Andrew  Frey,  Abraham  Wagner, 
John  Bertolet,  Francis  Ritter,  William  Pott,  John  Bechtel, 
John  A.  Gruber,  and  George  Bensel.  Their  monthly  con- 
ferences for  this  purpose  were  maintained  until  i740-      ^^^ 

1  Spangenberg,  "  Zinzendorf,"  p.  1230. 

2  McMinn,  "Antes,"  p.  iii. 


RELIGIOUS   CONDITION  OF  PENNSYLVANIA.       445 

fact,  Spangenberg's  report  to  the  authorities  in  Europe  con- 
tains sentences  which  furnish  the  key  to  the  early  activity 
of  the  Moravian  Church  in  Pennsylvania.  After  a  detailed 
description  of  the  religious  condition  of  the  nominal  adher- 
ents of  the  two  chief  confessions  and  of  the  separatists,  he 
closes  :  "  Thus  there  is  now  a  twofold  work  for  the  Brethren 
who  shall  go  thither  in  pursuance  of  the  Lord's  will:  the 
gospel  must  be  preached  to  many  thousands  who  know 
nothing  of  it,  or  who  have  an  indescribable  hunger  for  it; 
and  the  awakened  who  are  desirous  for  fellowship  must  be 
gathered  into  congregations.  And  this  is  not  the  work  for 
one  man,  but  for  many.  Moreover  there  are  the  Indians, 
who  do  not  willingly  dwell  near  the  Europeans :  for  them 
it  may  be  that  the  hour  of  grace  has  sounded.  And  in  the 
whole  country  there  are  few  schools,  and  there  is  almost 
no  one  who  makes  the  youth  his  concern.  One  may  in- 
deed see  signs  of  a  waking  up  here  and  there  in  the  land ; 
and  it  is  often  not  otherwise  than  if  a  wind  from  the  Lord 
was  passing  through  the  entire  land  and  bringing  all  into 
movement  and  the  spirit  of  inquiry.  But  since  the  affair 
is  so  extensive  every  one  considers  himself  lacking  in  abil- 
ity to  take  it  in  hand.  Perhaps  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is 
in  this."  ^  This  report  it  was  that  led  to  the  sending  of 
Bishop  Nitschmann's  colony  of  itinerants,  and  to  the  dis- 
patching of  Christian  Henry  Rauch  at  once  to  begin  a  mis- 
sion among  the  Indians,  and  to  the  founding  of  schools  very 
soon  after  the  coming  of  the  Brethren  to  Pennsylvania. 

Zinzendorf  himself  entertained  a  larger  ambition,  and 
one  worthy  of  him.  Endowed  with  gifts  adapted  to  the 
accomplishment  of  a  project  which  the  situation  of  his  coun- 
trymen in  Pennsylvania  seemed  to  demand,  lie  believed  he 
might  be  able  to  effect  an  evangelical  alliance  of  German 
Protestants  in  Pennsyhania,  if  he  undertook  the  task  not 

1  "  Diary"  of  Marienborn,  December  31,  1739,  quoted  by  Plitt,  §  205. 


446  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  hi. 

as  a  Moravian  bishop,  but  as  a  free  servant  of  Christ. 
He  feh  the  more  entitled  to  minister  thus  in  virtue  of  the 
formal  authorization  receiv^ed  from  the  University  of  Tiibin- 
gen  on  December  19,  1734;  and  there  is  no  question  that 
this  faculty  was  as  fully  qualified  to  confer  upon  him  Lu- 
theran orders  as  any  other  ecclesiastical  body  in  Germany. 
The  king  of  Denmark  had  understood  this  when  he  took 
cognizance  of  his  entrance  into  the  ministry  by  a  marked 
withdrawal  of  his  friendship.  Nor  was  any  organic  re- 
ligious jurisdiction  in  existence  among  the  Lutherans  of 
Pennsylvania.  In  the  colony  there  was  as  little  a  trace 
of  a  consistory  to  sanction  or  veto  his  step  as  there  was  a 
central  authority  in  Germany  which  could  claim  a  right  to 
be  consulted  or  to  interpose.  With  a  view  to  this  larger 
activity,  Zinzendorf  accordingly  resigned  his  Moravian 
episcopate  temporarily  at  a  Synod  at  Marienborn  in  July, 
1741  ;  and  in  pursuance  of  a  similar  desire  that  his  rank 
might  not  obtrude  itself,  from  the  very  beginning  of  his 
stay  in  Pennsylvania  he  wished  to  be  known  as  Louis 
Tiirnstein,  a  secondary  family  name  which  he  had  already 
borne  in  Europe  when  traveling  incognito. ^  It  was  far 
removed  from  his  plans  to  advance  the  interests  of  the 
Unitas  Fratrum  as  such.  In  fact,  students  of  the  inner 
history  of  that  church  are  well  aware  that  during  the  fifth 
decade  of  the  last  century,  in  spite  of  the  count's  lavish 
outlay  and  never-to-be-forgotten  sacrifice  of  talents  and 
time,  it  was  his  longing  to  break  down  the  walls  of  de- 
nominationalism,  which  proved  a  peculiar  hindrance  to  the 
natural  and  free  growth  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  both 
Europe  and  America. 2 

1  When  traveling  from  Reval  to  Riga,  in  1736,  his  passport  had  been  made 
out  in  this  title. 

2  Plitt,  %%  225,  229. 


THE  PENNSYLVANIA    SYNODS.  447 

He  arrived  at  Philadelphia  on  December  10,  1741, 
where  his  person  and  his  purposes  excited  general  interest. 
Governor  Thomas  in  a  few  days  sent  him  a  letter  of  wel- 
come, and  expressed  his  own  satisfaction  at  his  design  to 
supply  the  Germans  with  preaching.  1  After  a  brief  visit 
to  Bethlehem  at  Christmas,  he  returned  to  Germantown, 
where  he  preached  in  the  Reformed  church  on  the  last 
day  of  the  year,  having  previously  formed  the  acquaint- 
ance of  a  number  of  the  quondam  "  Associated  Brethren 
of  Skippack,"  one  of  whom,  Henry  Antes,  then  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Reformed  Church,  from  his  home  in  Frederick 
township,  had  issued  a  circular  on  December  15th,  calling 
a  general  conference  in  Germantown,  "  in  order  to  treat 
peaceably  concerning  the  most  important  articles  of  faith, 
and  to  ascertain  how  far  they  might  all  agree  in  the  most 
essential  points,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  mutual  love 
and  forbearance."  2  Hence  it  is  scarcely  accurate  to  call 
these  Pennsylvania  Synods,  the  first  of  which  met  at 
the  house  of  Theobald  Enten  in  Germantown,  and  at 
which  Antes  presided,  January  ist  to  3d,  Zinsendorf  s 
Synods.  He  was  lodging  with  John  Bechtel,  and  indeed 
threw  liimself  with  all  energy  into  the  movement.  It  re- 
minded him  of  the  Consensus  Sendomiriensis,^  and  was, 
moreover,  in  accord  with  the  purpose  of  his  own  coming 
to  the  country.  At  first  the  outlook  for  organic  union  was 
encouraging.  Every  German  denomination  in  Pennsyl- 
vania— and  not  one  of  these  denominations  zvas  as  yet  fully 
organized  for  itself — was  represented  among  the  more 
than  a  hundred  members  at  each  of  the  first  conferences. 
It  did  appear  as  though  the  confessional  lines  of  Europe 

1  "  Biidinglsche  Sammlung,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  325. 

2  McMinn,  "  Antes,"  p.  iii  ;  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vol.  hi.,  pp.  13 
seq. 

3  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  217. 


448  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  hi. 

'  might  be  avoided  here.  Seven  such  Synods  were  held  with- 
in six  months.  But  the  beautiful  ideal  burst  like  a  bubble. 
After  the  fourth  Synod  all  except  the  Lutherans,  the  Re- 
formed, and  the  Moravians  withdrew,  and  the  denominational 
differences  were  intensified.  Though  the  project  proved 
abortive,  its  conception  was  worthy  of  all  admiration.^ 

But  Zinzendorf's  activity  was  not  confined  to  this  efifort 
at  union.  If  his  zeal  led  him  into  undertakings  which  seem 
strange  amid  conditions  that  exist  to-day,  be  it  remem- 
bered that  religious  aflfairs  were  then  in  an  abnormal  state 
among  the  Germans  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Lutherans  of 
Philadelphia,  who  worshiped  in  a  barn  on  Arch  Street, 
rented  and  adapted  to  religious  uses,  and  enjoyed  in  com- 
mon with  the  Reformed,  had  been  without  a  pastor  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  there  seemed  to  be  no  prospect  of  obtain- 
ing one.  Negotiations  with  court  preacher  Ziegenhagen 
at  London,  and  with  the  authorities  at  Halle,  had  appar- 
ently fallen  through,  owing  to  the  inability  of  the  immi- 
grants to  pledge  a  cash  salary.  In  January  2  the  officers 
(Vorsteher)  of  the  congregation  formally  requested  Zinzen- 
dorf  to  preach  for  them,  and  he  occupied  the  pulpit  only 
after  ascertaining  that  Pastor  Bohme,  of  the  Reformed  con- 
gregation, who  lived  in  Wispens  township  and  preached 
only  once  a  month, ^  had  no  objection.  In  February  a 
deputation  of  the  Vorsteher  requested  Zinzendorf  to  ad- 
minister the  holy  communion  to  their  people.^  He  put 
them  ofif,  to  give  them  time  for  fuller  consideration.  At 
length  the  preparatory  service  was  held  on  Palm  Sunday, 
and  on  Easter  day  the  sacrament  was  administered  accord- 

1  The  seven  vSynods  were  convened  at  Germantown,  January  i,  1742;  at 
Falkner's  Swamp,  January  14th  ;  at  Oloy,  February  loth  ;  at  Germantown, 
March  loth  ;  at  Germantown,  April  6th;  at  Pliikulclphia,  May  6th;  at  Pliila- 
delphia,  June  ist. 

2  "  Biidingisclio  Sammlung,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  62. 

3  Ibid.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  60.  •*   Ibid.,  vol.  iii.,  p.  5<So. 


ZINZENDORF  IN  PHILADELPHIA.  ^^g 

ing  to  the  Lutheran  ritual.  A  few  days  previous  to  this 
the  congregation  gave  him  a  formal  and  regular  call  to 
become  pastor.^  Again  he  desired  them  to  duly  consider 
this  step,  and  propounded  various  questions,  among  the 
rest  asking  whether  there  was  any  one  else  whom  they 
could  secure  and  whether  they  were  unanimous  in  their 
desire.  Though  he  obtained  satisfactory  replies,  it  was  not 
till  May  26th  that  the  transaction  was  completed  on  his 
part.  That  his  title  might  not  interfere  with  his  ministra- 
tions a  preliminary  had  been  the  renunciation  of  his  heredi- 
tary rank  at  the  house  of  the  governor  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  colony,  on  May  15th." 
As  pastor  he  conceived  it  to  be  within  the  scope  of  his 
functions  to  appoint,  with  the  consent  of  his  people,  Chris- 
topher Pyrlaus,^  a  former  divinity  student  of  Leipzig,  as  his 
assistant.  At  the  request  of  the  Vorsteher  of  the  vacant 
Tulpehocken  charge,  he  recommended  to  them  first  Gottlieb 
Biittner  and  then  Philip  Andrew  Meurer,  the  latter  erstwhile 
a  student  of  Jena.  He  himself  also  ministered  to  the  Re- 
formed in  Philadelphia  at  their  request.  But  when  factious 
strife  arose  in  Philadelphia  in  connection  with  the  preach- 
ing of  Pyrlaus,  rather  than  stiffly  contend  for  what  he  be- 
lieved his  rights,  Zinzendorf  built  out  of  his  own  private 
means  a  stone  church  on  Race  Street  for  the  people  who 
held  to  him ;  and  from  this  eventually  arose  the  First 
Moravian  Church  in  that  city.  The  others  held  to  Miihlen- 
berg,  when  he  appeared  toward  the  close  of  the  year.  It 
is  not  a  historic  fact,  however,  that  Zinzendorf  was  com- 
pelled by  the  court  to  surrender  the  church  books  to  him. 
These  books  were  not  given  over  till  after  the  former  had 


1  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  827;  vol.  iii.,  p.  581. 

2  Hid.,   vol.   iii.,   pp.   330,   331;   Reichel,   "Memorials   of  the   Moravian 
Church,"  p.  184. 

3  "  Biidingische  Sammlung,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  82. 


45 O  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap,  hi, 

left  the  country — his  absence  being  demanded  by  the 
condition  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  Germany — and  were 
handed  over  by  one  of  the  officers  who  changed  sides. -^ 

This  much  in  the  interest  of  historic  fact.  Both  Zinzen- 
dorf  and  Muhlenberg,  though  liable  to  err  like  all  mortals, 
were  men  of  God,  and  have  long  since  learned  to  see  eye 
to  eye ;  and  both  divisions  of  the  church  of  Christ  which 
they  represented  were  providentially  ordained  and  em- 
ployed. 

During  the  sessions  of  the  seventh  Pennsylvania  Synod, 
on  June  7th,  a  colony  of  Moravians  from  Europe — known 
as  the  "  First  Sea  Congregation,""  from  the  fact  that  on 
shipboard  these  fifty-seven  people,  who  were  the  sole  pas- 
sengers, were  organized  as  a  congregation,  and  maintained 
their  regular  devotional  services  during  the  long  voyage — 
arrived  in  Philadelphia,  with  Peter  Bohler  as  their  leader. 
They  were  destined  for  Nazareth,  and  for  Bethlehem, 
where  Zinzendorf  effected  the  organization  of  a  congrega- 
tion after  the  Moravian  model  on  June  25th. 

The  second  half  of  the  year  was  devoted  by  him  to  three 
missionary  tours  in  the  Indian  country.  The  first  was  to  the 
Minnisinks,  the  Blue  Mountains,  the  Aquanshicola,  and  the 
Upper  Schuylkill,^  from  June  24th  to  August  2d,  the  most 
important  event  in  connection  with  it  being  an  interview 
with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations  at  the  house  of  Conrad 
Weisser,  the  Indian  agent  for  government,  at  Heidelberg. 
Zinzendorf  obtained  permission  for  the  Brethren  to  pass 
to  and  from  and  sojourn  as  friends  within  the  domains  of 
the  great  Iroquois  confederation  and  their  dependents. 
The  second'*  tour,  from  August  loth  to  August  31st,  was  to 

1  vSpansjenbercj,  "  Darlegung  richtiger  Antworten,"  p.  152  ;  "  N.aturelle  Re- 
flexiones,"  p.  210  ;  M.S.  letter  of  Zinzendorf  in  the  Bethlehem  Archives,  under 
date  of  .Se]-)teniber  13,  1746. 

2  Reichel,  "  Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church,"  pp.  185-187. 

3  Ibid.,  pp.  23  seq.  *  Ibid.,  pp.  45  seq. 


RESULTS   OF  ZINZENDORF'S    VISIT.  451 

the  Mohican  town  of  Shekomeko,  about  twenty  miles 
southeast  of  Rhinebeck,  N.  Y.,  where  Rauch  had  been 
successfully  laboring  since  the  summer  of  i  740,  the  first 
converts  having  been  baptized  at  one  of  the  sessions 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Synod,  at  Oley,  in  February,  1741. 
On  August  22d  Zinzendorf  organized  a  congregation 
of  ten  Christian  Indians  at  Shekomeko.  The  third  ^  jour- 
ney, from  September  24th  to  November  9th,  was  to 
Shamokin,  the  most  important  Indian  town  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. As  a  missionary  journey  this  expedition  failed  of 
definite  results,  possibly  because  of  the  secret  hostility  of 
the  notorious  Madame  Montour,  his  interpreter.  He  and 
his  companions  were,  however,  among  the  first  whites  to 
penetrate  into  the  Wyoming  Valley. 

Shortly  afterward  tidings  from  Europe  reached  Zinzen- 
dorf which  accelerated  his  return  thither.  Before  leaving, 
however,  he  inaugura'ted  the  first  form  of  government  for 
the  Moravian  Church  in  America,  viz. :  Bishop  David 
Nitschmann  was  to  oversee  the  missions  among  the  In- 
dians, and  Peter  Bohler,  assisted  by  Seiffert,  to  supervise 
the  itinerancy.  On  January  9th  the  count  sailed  frorii 
New  York.  The  results  of  his  American  activity  may  be 
summed  up  thus :  congregations  at  Bethlehem,  Nazareth, 
Philadelphia,  Hebron,  Heidelberg,  Lancaster,  and  York  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  New  York  City  and  on  Staten  Island, 
were  either  now  already  established  or  developed  soon 
after  from  movements  to  which  he  had  given  the  initia- 
tive ;  schools  were  founded  at  Germantown,  Fredericktown, 
Oley,  and  Heidelberg ;  an  extensive  itinerancy  was  estab- 
lished, and  provision  made  for  the  systematic  prosecution 
of  the  missions  among  the  Indians. 

Reichel,  "  Memorials,"  pp.  62  seq.,  100  seq. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE   PERIOD    OF    GRADUAL    ESTABLISHMENT. 

Hardly  had  the  hundred  and  twenty  persons  at  Beth- 
lehem adopted  rules  and  regulations  when  plans  were 
framed  for  evangelistic  activity.  For  this  the  membership 
was  so  divided  that  a  number  became  heralds  of  grace, 
while  the  rest  labored  to  provide  their  support.  In  July 
ten  men  were  nominated  as  "  fishers,"  with  instructions 
never  to  meddle  with  the  affairs  of  other  servants  of  God, 
and  to  carefully  abstain  from  all  disputes.  After  an  ab- 
sence of  a  few  weeks  each  was  expected  to  report  to  the 
supervisors  and  again  go  forth  whither  he  might  be  sent. 
Their  labors  were  supplemented  by  the  house-to-house 
conversations  of  "visitors,"  who  practically  exercised  pas- 
toral care  over  those  who  affiliated  themselves  with  the 
Brethren.  Their  teaching  was  eminently  Christocentric,  the 
vicarious  atonement  being  the  all-embracing  theme.  In 
this,  former  Swedish  and  German  Lutherans  like  Schnell, 
Reinke,  Reutz,  Roseen,  Bryzelius,  Pezold,  Meinung,  Kaske, 
and  Solle,  quondam  Reformed  like  Antes,  Bechtel,  Lischy, 
and  Brandmiiller,  and  Scotch,  Welsh,  and  Englishmen  like 
Bruce,  Rice,  Okely,  Powell,  Yarrel,  Gambold,  Thorpe,  and 
Utley,  were  all  at  one  with  those  of  Bohemian- Moravian 
stock  like  Seiffert,  Seidel,  George  Neisser,  Joseph  Neisser, 
Jacob  Till,  Paul  Schneider,  Paul  Miinster,  and  Anton 
Lawatsch.  The  many  letters,  diaries,  and  journals  of 
those  days,  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Moravian 
church  at  Bethlehem,  give  evidence  that  a  mighty  desire 

452 


THE   ITINERANCY.  453 

for  the  Word  of  God  was  aroused.  By  the  year  1748 
there  were  thirty-one  locaHties  which  served  as  centers  of 
itinerant  labors.^  Jacob  Lischy  had  a  circuit  embracing 
eighteen  appointments.  Christian  Henry  Ranch  attended 
to  fifteen,  and  David  Bruce  to  ten.  Frederick  County, 
Md.,  became  a  field  of  activity  in  1745.  Leonard  Schnell 
and  Robert  Hussey  penetrated  as  far  as  Georgia,  and  in 
localities  in  Virginia  and  Carolina  preached  where  the  gos- 
pel had  never  been  heard.  Bryzelius,  with  the  consent  of 
Pastor  Tranberg,  ministered  to  the  vacant  Swedish  parish 
of  Racoon,  and  Reinke,  Roseen,  Rice,  Powell,  and  Nyberg 
itinerated  all  through  southern  New  Jersey,  while  Joseph 
Shaw  and  Bruce  were  active  farther  north.  Seidel  and 
Westmann  pushed  beyond  the  Susquehanna.  Christian 
Frohlich  and  Jasper  Payne  were  employed  on  Staten  and 
Long  islands.  Schnell  and  Burn.side  visited  Canajoharie. 
Newport,  New  Haven,  and  Broadbay,  Me.,  had  their  Mo- 
ravian evangelists. 

Since  December,  i  744,  all  this  activity  was  superintended 
by  Augustus  Gottlieb  Spangenberg,  a  man  of  great  intel- 
lectual and  practical  gifts,  a  theologian  and  linguist — a 
favorite  scholar  of  Buddaeus  at  Jena,  he  had  been  led  to 
an  experimental  knowledge  of  Christ  by  a  Moravian,  An- 
drew Beier,  and  since  1733  had  been  identified  with  the 
Unity — and  withal  a  man  of  indefatigable  industry,  shrewd 
foresight,  sound  judgment,  unflinching  adherence  to  prin- 
ciple, and  unaff'ected  sincerity  in  his  dealings  with  all  men. 

In  addition  to  the  care  of  the  itinerancy,  his  was  also 
the  oversight  of  the  missions  among  the  Indians,  and  to  a 
large  extent  of  those  in  the  West  Indies  and  in  Surinam. 
And  the  colonists  of  the  church  in  Pennsylvania  deferred 
to  him  as  their  head  in  temporal  afifairs.  Well  did  he  earn 
the  surname  of  "  Brother  Joseph,"  supporter  of  his  Breth- 

1   Reichel,  "  The  Early  History,"  etc.,  p.  207. 


454  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  iv. 

ren  in  a  strange  land,  and  concealing  a  tender  heart  under 
a  rigorous  exterior. 

For  the  extraordinary  evangelistic  and  missionary  activ- 
ity demanded  extraordinary  methods  of  support.  Gradu- 
ally there  had  arisen,  and  after  1 744  there  prevailed,  at 
Bethlehem  and  Nazareth  and  affiliated  settlements  a  sys- 
tem of  life  that  was  Spartan  in  its  rigor,  and  yet  volun- 
tarily submitted  to  for  Christ's  sake.  Though  its  flaw  was 
the  ignoring  of  the  unit  of  the  family,  as  a  temporary  ex- 
pedient there  was  in  it  that  which  challenges  admiration. 
This  "  Economy,"  though  semi-communistic,  was  not 
wholly  so,  entailing  a  community  of  time  and  labor,  but 
not  of  personal  property.  Those  who  had  means  of  their 
own  did  not  necessarily  surrender  them.  In  return  for  the 
time  and  labor  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  church  they 
received  the  necessaries  of  life.  No  private  business  was 
transacted,  but  the  manufactures  and  trades  of  every  sort 
were  carried  on  for  the  benefit  of  the  church  organization 
under  responsible  committees.  In  addition  to  a  number 
of  farms,  thirty-two  different  industries  were  in  operation 
by  the  year  1747.  No  town  in  the  interior  of  Pennsyl- 
vania could  so  sufficiently  supply  all  kinds  of  wants.  And 
although  furnishing  the  support  for  about  fifty  itinerants 
and  missionaries,  this  American  branch  of  Moravian  activ- 
ity was  self-supporting  and  could  later  send  contributions 
to  aid  in  making  good  losses  in  Europe. 1 

Associated  with  Bishop  Spangenberg  in  this  period  and 
in  the  ensuing  years  were  especially  Bishop  J.  C.  F.  Cam- 
merhof,  Adolph  Meyer,  David  Bischoff,  Nathanael  Seidel, 
Anton  Lawatsch,  Henry  Antes,  Matthew  Schropp,  and 
John  Brownfield.  Abraham  Bomper,  Timothy  Horsefield, 
and  later  Henry  van  Vleck,  acted  as  financial  agents  in 
New  York. 

1  Plitt,  "  Geschichte  der  erneuerten  Briider-Unitat,"  MS.,  §  289. 


THE  ECONOMY.  455 

The  civico-religious  life  of  the  settlements  was  based 
on  the  idea  of  a  Christian  republic  in  miniature,  in  which 
the  offices  were  largely  filled  by  lot.  In  the  final  resort, 
municipal  affairs,  as  well  as  religico-disciplinary  matters, 
were  referred  to  the  congregation  council,  which  served 
as  the  town-meeting,  since  members  of  the  church  were 
alone  allowed  to  reside  permanently  in  the  settlements. 
The  management  of  externals  was  vested  in  a  board  known 
as  the  Aiifsehercollegiwn,  while  in  the  well-systematized 
cure  and  care  of  souls  a  joint  responsibility  was  shared 
by  the  members  of  the  Elders'  Conference,  to  which  be- 
longed those  men  and  women  who  had  the  special  over- 
sight of  the  divisions  of  the  congregation  classified  accord- 
ing to  age  and  sex.  Regular,  though  brief,  periods  of 
daily  devotion,  morning,  noon,  and  evening,  perpetuated 
the  conception  of  a  complete  consecration  on  the  part  of 
the  membership.^  The  various  committees  were  assisted 
by  minor  functionaries,  such  as  the  sick-watchers,  the 
almoners,  the  sacristans,  and  the  night-watchmen — these 
last  not  only  insuring  the  public  safety,  but  also  seeking 
to  promote  piety  by  singing  hymns  appropriate  to  each 
hour  of  the  night  as  they  made  their  rounds. 

That  this  voluntary  submission  to  hard  toil  and  plain 
fare  was  engendered  by  motives  of  purest  devotion  be- 
comes plain  from  the  readiness  of  these  people  to  under- 
take arduous  enterprises  at  short  notice.  When,  for  in- 
stance, word  was  once  received  that  several  missionaries 
had  died  on  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  Spangenberg  writes 
he  could  have  had  twenty  or  thirty  volunteers  ready  to  set 
out  for  this  fever-spot.^ 

During  these  years   the   sessions  of  the   Pennsylvania 

1  "Diary"  of  the  Bethlehem  congregation,   MS.,   Bethlehem  Archives, 
1742-62. 

2  Reichel,  "The  Early  History,"  etc.,  p.  163. 


456^  ^'^^^'  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  iv. 

Synod  were  statedly  held,  Bohler,  and  then  Spangen- 
berg,  being  its  presiding  officer.  Varying  in  membership 
from  about  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  eighty  mem- 
bers, and  sometimes  even  two  hundred,  though  its  constitu- 
ency again  nominally  embraced  as  many  as  eight  denomi- 
nations,^ the  Moravian  complexion  of  the  gatherings  and 
the  dominance  of  Moravian  thought  became  more  and 
more  evident  by  the  force  of  circumstances,  even  if  as  late 
as  1 746  the  theory  of  union  was  still  formally  set  forth. 
Special  interest  attaches  to  the  third  Synod  of  the  year 
1745,  which  met,  in  December,  in  the  court-house  at  Lan- 
caster, twenty-four  localities  being  represented — not  only 
because  it  furnishes  an  instance  of  the  character  of  the  op- 
position to  the  work  of  the  Brethren  in  the  riotous  demon- 
strations of  the  hostile  mob  when  Spangenberg  arose  to 
preach,  but  especially  because  its  most  important  transac- 
tion was  the  formation  of  a  society  for  the  propagation  of 
the  gospel  by  home  and  foreign  missions,  which  died  out 
when  Spangenberg's  American  activity  came  to  an  end,  but 
which  was  resuscitated  in  1787  distinctively  for  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  heathen. 

Though  the  gathering  in  February,  i  748,  at  the  Ouitopa- 
hilla,  in  Lebanon  County,  was  still  called  a  Pennsylvania 
Synod,  this  was  the  last  time  that  term  was  employed. 
It  could  not  be  otherwise,  for  through  the  labors  of  Miihlen- 
berg  and  Schlatter  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  churches 
were  assuming  organic  form.  The  logic  of  events  com- 
pelled the  Moravians  to  cease  their  pursuit  of  an  unsub- 
stantial, though  attractive,  ideal.  A  public  recognition 
of  this  took  place  at  the  twenty -seventh  Pennsylvania 
Synod,  practically  the  first  Synod  of  the  Moravian  Church 
in  America,  convened  at  Bethlehem  in  October,  1 748,  by 
Bishop  John  de  Watteville,  Zinzendorf's  son-in-law,  in  con- 

1   Rcichel,  "  The  Early  History,"  etc.,  pp.  160  scq. 


TEMFORAR  V  FAA-A  TICISM.  45  7 

nection  with  an  official  visitation.  Congregations  or  nuclei 
of  congregations  were  recognized  to  exist  in  thirty-one 
localities,  exclusive  of  the  missions  to  the  Indians. 

Unfortunately,  together  with  the  recognition  of  the  fact 
that  the  day  for  union  was  over  and  that  the  denomina- 
tional regulations  adopted  by  the  General  Synod  at  Mari- 
enborn,  in  1745,  with  respect  to  the  three  orders  of  the 
ministry,  the  ritual,  etc.,  must  obtain  in  America  also,  a 
temporary  phase  of  thought  was  allowed  to  find  approval 
and  for  a  time  become  dominant.  This  tendency  had 
been  typical  of  the  congregations  in  Biidingen  for  a  few 
years  past,  but,  it  should  be  noted,  was  utterly  repudiated 
a  few  years  hence  by  the  Moravian  Church  as  a  whole. 
The  heads  of  some  appear  to  have  been  turned  by  the  mar- 
velous successes  which  had  attended  their  efforts  in  spite 
of  bitter  opposition.  They  had  come  to  identify  the  Breth- 
ren's Unity  with  the  visible  body  of  Christ.  Zinzendorf's 
flaw  of  intellectual  method,  which  inclined  him  to  love 
paradoxical  and  mystic  expressions  and  to  build  systems 
of  thought  around  metaphors  that  temporarily  fascinated 
him,  had  led  to  an  unwarranted  sentimentalism  in  the 
prevalent  conception  of  the  atonement,  set  forth  especially 
in  hymns  and  liturgies.^  In  this  he  had  been  strenuously 
opposed  by  Spangenberg,  Christian  David,  the  Neissers, 
and  others  of  the  old  Moravian  stock;-  but  for  a  while  in 
vain.  Cammerhof,  most  worthy  of  admiration  as  he  was 
for  the  irrepressible  missionary  zeal  which  caused  him  to 
be  remembered  by  the  Iroquois  for  a  generation  after  his 
early  death  (April  28,  1751),  from  the  consequences  of  ex- 
posure and  hardships  experienced  on  a  journey  to  Onon- 
daga,^ was  an  exponent  of  the  fanatical  type  of  thought. 

1  Plitt,  "  Geschichte,"  etc.,  ^S  231 ;  "  Transactions  of  the  Moravian  His- 
torical Society,"  series  2,  pp.  175  seq. 

2  Plitt,  "  Geschichte,"  etc.,  ^S^  229,  246. 

3  "  Transactions  of  the  Moravian  Historical  Society,"  series  2,  p.  186. 


458  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap,  i v. 

And  the  visitor  was  at  this  time  also  an  ardent  advocate 
of  the  sentimental  phase  of  religious  life. 

It  might  have  been  expected  that  Spangenberg  would 
remain  at  the  head  of  the  American  activity  and  continue 
to  administer  affairs  in  connection  with  which  his  worth 
had  been  signally  disclosed.  His  involuntary  retirement 
to  Philadelphia  ^  is  one  of  the  unexplained  problems  of 
Moravian  history. 2  In  February,  1750,  in  company  with 
De  Watteville,  he  returned  to  Europe,  where  his  wife  died, 
in  March,  1751.  Not  many  years  were  to  pass,  however, 
before  his  master- hand  was  to  be  again  at  the  helm  in 
America. 

1  "  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  xv.,  p.  98. 

2  Plitt,  "  Geschichte,"  etc.,  %  242. 


CHAPTER   V. 

THE    ERA    OF   THE    "ECONOMY,"   1 749-62. 

While  the  formative  period  in  America  was  drawing 
to  an  end,  Zinzendorf  and  his  associates,  who  now  Hved  in 
London,  had  been  endeavoring  to  have  the  status  of  the 
Unitas  Fratrum  legally  defined,  in  order  to  secure  free- 
dom of  operation  in  British  territory.  Rapid  advances 
had  everywhere  been  made.  At  the  Synod  of  Hirschberg, 
in  Voigtland,  in  i  743,  a  total  membership  in  Christendom 
and  heathendom  of  20,974  had  been  reported.^  These 
efforts,  after  protracted  negotiations,  resulted  in  an  act  of 
Parliament,  which  received  the  royal  signature  on  June  6, 
1 749,  recognizing  the  Unitas  Fratrum  or  Moravian  Church 
as  an  ancient  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and  granting 
certain  concessions  in  Britain  and  the  colonies,  e.g.,  relief 
from  bearing  arms  and  from  taking  judicial  oaths. ^ 

The  period  of  the  administration  of  Bishop  John  Nitsch- 
mann,  Sr.,  Spangenberg's  successor  in  America,  was  brief, 
and  noteworthy  for  the  withdrawal  of  Henry  Antes,  who 
had  been  of  invaluable  service  in  connection  with  the  found- 
ing of  the  settlements.  He,  however,  remained  a  personal 
friend  of  Spangenberg,  and  consented  to  be  one  of  a  band 
of  explorers  for  the  church  in  North  Carolina,  in  company 
with  him,  a  few  years  later.     Moreover  he  left  a  legacy  in 

1  Plitt,  "  Geschichte  der  erneuerten  Bruderkirche,"  MS.,  §  221. 

2  Acta  Fratrum  in  Anglia,  1749;  Plitt,  ^  240;  Holmes,  "  History,"  vol. 
i.,  chap,  ii.,  §§  4,  5 ;  vol.  ii.,  chap,  iii.,  §  4;  chap,  iv.,  §  3;  chap,  v.,  $  6. 

459 


460  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  Vc 

aid  of  the  mission  work,  and  his  sons  remained  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Brethren,  one  of  them  becoming  a  mission- 
ary in  Egypt. 

When  Spangenberg  returned  at  the  close  of  the  year 
1 75 1,  there  came  with  him  an  assistant  bishop,  Matthew 
Hehl,  an  alumnus  of  Tiibingen,  who  was  to  have  special 
oversight  of  the  congregations  in  Lancaster,  York,  and  Berks 
counties,  and  in  Maryland.  Moreover  they  were  accom- 
panied by  a  band  of  Moravian  colonists.  And  a  feature 
of  the  succeeding  years  was  the  repeated  arrival  of  similar 
companies,  under  the  lead  respectively  of  Peter  Bohler, 
Lawatsch,  Toltschig,  Nathanael  Seidel,  Ludwig  Weiss,  and 
Pezold,  their  transport  being  provided  for  in  the  mission- 
ary vessel  "  Irene,"  Ijelonging  to  the  church. 

An  important  commission  now  engaged  Spangenberg's 
attention.  Since  1749  negotiations  had  been  pending  with 
Lord  Granville  for  the  purchase  of  lands  in  North  Caro- 
lina. An  undivided  tract  of  a  hundred  thousand  acres  was 
desired,  in  the  heart  of  which  a  town  was  to  be  built,  with 
large  establishments  for  various  institutions  of  the  church. 
From  this  center  missions  were  to  be  undertaken  among 
the  Indians,  and  the  entire  territory  was  to  be  occupied 
solely  by  members  of  the  church,  who  might  give  atten- 
tion to  the  culture  of  Christian  character  and  life  undis- 
turbed by  discordant  outside  influences. 

In  August,  1752,  Spangenberg,  Antes,  Timothy  Horse- 
field,  Joseph  Miiller,  Hermann  Losch,  and  John  Merck  left 
Bethlehem  on  horseback.  They  did  not  return  till  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  but,  in  spite  of  terrible  vicissitudes,  had  suc- 
cessfully surveyed  a  desirable  tract  of  well-watered,  roll- 
ing woodland  in  the  Yadkin  Valley.  In  May,  1753,  when 
Spangenberg  reported  in  London,  negotiations  with  Lord 
Granville  were  brought  to  a  close,  the  purchase-money 
being  raised  in  England,  and  the  tract  named  ''  Wachovia," 


THE   FRENCH  AND   INDIAN   WAR.  46 1 

after  lands  belonging  to  the  Zinzendorf  family  in  Austria. 
Under  instructions  from  Granville,  Governor  Dupp  recog- 
nized it  as  the  Brethren's  special  diocese.  The  first  set- 
tlement was  begun  on  November  17,  1753,  by  a  band  of 
young  men  sent  from  Bethlehem,  under  the  lead  of  Ber- 
nard Adam  Grube,  as  minister,  and  Jacob  Losch,  as  busi- 
ness manager ;  and  next  year,  John  Jacob  Fries  being  the 
minister,  Bohler  on  a  visit  named  it  Bethabara — "  house  of 
passage  " — for  the  original  plan  of  a  central  town  was  not 
abandoned. 

The  year  1756  was  marked  by  the  founding  of  a  new 
settlement,  Lititz,  in  Pennsylvania,  named  after  the  first 
home  of  the  Unity.  George  Klein  for  this  purpose  made 
a  legal  transfer  of  his  faj'm  of  four  hundred  and  ninety-one 
acres  to  the  church,  and  it  became  Bishop  Hehl's  perma- 
nent place  of  residence. 

But  these  were  years  of  severe  trial.  The  prolonged 
contest  for  English  or  French  supremacy  in  the  western 
world  involved  the  border-country  in  the  horrors  of  Indian 
war.^  Repeated  atrocities  in  the  Wyoming  Valley  and 
along  the  line  of  the  Blue  Mountains  announced  coming 
troubles.  On  the  evening  of  the  24th  of  November,  1755, 
the  worst  fears  were  realized  at  the  mission  station  of 
Gnadenhiitten,  on  the  Mahoning.  Just  as  the  mission  fam- 
ily gathered  for  the  evening  meal  war-whoops  rang  out 
and  gunshots  followed.  But  four  out  of  fifteen  persons 
escaped  to  tell  of  their  companions'  martyrdom.  And 
their  teachers  restrained  the  converts  from  attempting  re- 
prisals, counseling  them  to  flee  instead.  For  more  than  a 
year  the  refugee  "  brown  hearts  "  were  harbored  at  Beth- 
lehem, and  then  built  Nain  near  by. 

Other  outrages  followed  the  destruction  of  Gnadenhilt- 

1  Reichel,  "  Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church,"  pp.  191  seq. ;  De  Schwein- 
itz,  "  Zeisberger,"  pp.  220-240. 


462  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  v. 

ten.  In  consequence  several  hundred  strangers  sought 
refuge  in  the  Moravian  settlements.  The  winter  was  a 
most  anxious  one.  The  very  existence  of  these  towns 
seemed  to  be  in  jeopardy.  Minute  precautions  had  to  be 
taken  against  a  surprise  by  day  or  night.  And  despite 
their  serious  losses  and  open-handed  hospitality,  the  Breth- 
ren themselves  were  denounced,  by  those  inimical  to  their 
missions,  as  being  secretly  in  league  with  the  French  and 
the  savages.  The  hostile  Indians  owed  them  a  special 
grudge  for  restraining  converted  Delawares  from  going  on 
the  war-path.  Teedyuscung,  the  hostile  chief,  as  a  rene- 
gade convert,  bore  them  special  ill-will.  Yet  when  this 
warrior  came  to  treat  with  Governors  Morris  and  Denny 
at  Easton,  the  Brethren  were  of  aid^in  furthering  the  nego- 
tiations, and  in  1758  their  missionary,  Frederick  Post,i  as 
agent  of  the  government,  traveled  as  far  as  the  Ohio  and 
rendered  signal  service  in  promoting  the  security  of  the 
frontier.^ 

Similar  experiences  were  being  made  meanwhile  in  the 
Southern  settlement.  It  became  known  from  its  stockade 
as  the  "  Dutch  Fort,"  and  many  refugees  found  their  way 
thither  from  the  open  country,  so  that,  when  an  interval 
of  peace  was  enjoyed,  another  settlement  was  plotted  in 
the  neighborhood — Bethany — to  accommodate  those  of 
them  who  wished  to  remain  permanently. 

Especially  melancholy  were  the  effects  of  the  war  upon 
the  hitherto  promising  Indian  missions.  Ranch's  begin- 
ning at  Shekomeko  in  1740  had  branched  out  into  Chris- 
tian Indian  villages  at  Pachgatgoch,  Wechquadnach,  and 

1  The  MS.  "Journal  of  Post's  Tour"  is  in  the  Bethlehem  Archives.  (See 
also  "  The  Pennsylvania  Archives,"  vol.  iii.,  pp.  520-524.) 

2  "  Hostile  Indians  declared:  '  If  the  great  God  were  not  the  God  of  the 
Brethren,  we  should  soon  have  made  an  end  of  the  whites.'" — "Minutes 
of  the  Elders'  Conference  at  Bethlehem,"  January  12,  1756,  MS. 


INDIAN  MISSIONS.  463 

Potatic,  in  Connecticut.  Within  four  years  sixty  Indians 
had  been  baptized.  Men  hke  Mack,  Biittner,  Pyrlaus, 
Shawe,  Bruce,  Post,  and  Powell  were  associated  in  the 
work,  and  undertook  toilsome  and  dangerous  journeys  as 
far  as  the  Mohawk  Valley.  In  1745  Spangenberg,  Zeis- 
berger,  and  Schebosch,  with  Conrad  Weisser  as  interpreter, 
had  penetrated  to  Onondaga  to  renew  the  covenant  of 
friendship  established  by  Zinzendorf,  and  had  obtained  a 
concession  of  land  in  the  Wyoming  Valley,  whither  a  part 
of  the  Shekomeko  congregation  migrated  after  the  pas- 
sage of  the  antagonistic  acts  of  the  New  York  Assembly.^ 
Thence  they  had  removed  to  Gnadenhiitten,  to  be  nearer 
the  Brethren  at  Bethlehem  ;  and  at  the  time  of  De  Watte- 
ville's  visitation  about  five  hundred  Indians  were  reported 
to  be  in  connection  with  the  church.2  During  the  years 
1746-48,  Martin  Mack,  Joseph  Powell,  John  Hagen,  and 
Anthony  Schmidt  had  founded  an  outpost  at  Shamokin, 
by  the  request  of  Chief  Shikellimy.  From  this  point  a 
withdrawal  had  become  inevitable.  Though  Nain  had  its 
counterpart  i-n  Wechquetank,  just  beyond  the  Blue  Mount- 
ains, the  entire  missionary  enterprise  was  now  in  a  precari- 
ous state,  owing  to  the  spirit  of  hostility  aroused  against  it 
among  the  white  colonists,  the  disastrous  effects  of  which 
were  to  be  felt  at  a  later  period. 

So  long  as  Zinzendorf  lived,  by  the  force  of  circum- 
stances and  in  virtue  of  a  formal  commission  given  him 
by  the  representative  men  in  i  743,  the  guidance  of  affairs 
both  in  Europe  and  in  America  devolved  upon  him  in  the 
last  resort.  But  in  1754  the  germs  of  a  collegiate  govern- 
ment appeared  in  the  appointment  of  a  Board  of  Adminis- 
trators, which  was  given  charge  of  the  general  finances  of 

1  Reichel,  "  The  Early  History,"  etc.,  pp.  209-212. 

2  Plitt,  "  Geschichte  der  erneuerten  Briiderkirche,"  MS.,  %  242. 


464  T^^  AlORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  v. 

the  church  and  its  missions.  The  Synod  of  1756  made  a 
further  advance  by  changing  this  board  into  a  Board  of 
Directors,  responsible  not  to  the  count  personally,  but  to 
the  church.  And  these  initiatory  steps  were  taken  none 
too  soon.  For  on  May  9th,  after  a  brief  illness,  the  great 
benefactor  of  the  resuscitated  Unitas  Fratrum  entered  into 
his  rest  and  reward.  He  had  eccentricities,  and,  being 
but  a  man,  made  mistakes ;  but  he  has  left  an  imperish- 
able name,  as  one  who  recalled  the  church  of  Christ  to  the 
obligation  of  its  missionary  commission.  He  had  sacrificed 
rank,  wealth,  and  the  joys  of  the  home  circle,  and  had 
spent  his  powers  for  his  Saviour's  cause,  though  it  entailed 
being  misunderstood,  reproached,  and  maligned.  Correctly 
estimating  the  highest  aim  in  life,  he  never  faltered  in  its 
pursuit,  and  was  a  great  man  as  Heaven  counts  greatness. 

It  was  impossible  to  call  a  General  Synod,  owing  to  the 
operations  of  the  Seven  Years'  War.  Hence  an  ad  interim 
Conference  was  organized  for  the  oversight  of  the  work  at 
home  and  abroad,  the  Board  of  Directors  still  continuing 
to  administer  the  finances. 

Spangenberg  was  naturally  needed  as  a  member  of  this 
Conference.  On  his  leaving  America  in  the  summer  of  i  762 
his  duties  were  shared  between  Bishop  NathanaelSeidel  and 
Frederick  William  von  Marschall ;  and  a  radical  change  fol- 
lowed— the  abrogation  of  the  "Economy,"  which  mode  of 
life  had  been  meant  at  the  outset  to  be  of  only  temporary 
duration.  The  individual  members  now  bought  or  leased 
from  the  church  most  of  the  land  and  the  stock  and  fix- 
tures of  most  of  the  various  manufactories  and  trades,  and 
began  to  do  business  on  their  own  account.  As  yet,  how- 
ever, neither  the  congregations  as  units,  nor  the  American 
division  of  the  Unity  as  a  whole,  owned  any  real  estate. 
The  church  at  large  remained  proprietor  of  all  that  indi- 
viduals did  not  purchase,  and  certain  enterprises  were  still 


SUBORDINATION  OF   THE  AMERICAN  CHURCH.    465 

carried  on  as  part  of  the  financial  system  under  the  control 
of  the  Board  of  Directors,  which  had  its  agents  in  Amer- 
ica. Thus  arose  an  intricate  set  of  accounts,  and  thus  was 
confirmed  the  tendency  to  regard  the  American  field  as  a 
mere  outpost  for  the  organization,  whose  center  of  vitality 
was  on  the  continent  of  Europe. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

FROM  THE  ABROGATION  OF  THE  "  ECONOMY  "  TO  THE 
FOUNDING  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REPUBLIC,   1 762-83. 

One  immediate  effect  of  the  abrogation  of  the  "  Econ- 
omy "  was  the  founding  of  a  boarding-school  for  boys  at 
Nazareth.  In  November,  1756,  a  spacious  stone  building 
had  been  completed  as  a  residence  for  Count  Zinzendorf 
and  the  Brethren  immediately  associated  in  labor  with  him. 
Never  used  for  its  intended  purpose,  it  was  now  utilized 
for  an  academy ;  and  under  the  brilliant  principalship  of 
the  Rev.  F.  C.  Lembke  "  Nazareth  Hall"  attained  imme- 
diate success.  At  the  close  of  i  764  one  hundred  and  six 
scholars  were  enrolled,  with  sixteen  instructors.  But  from 
this  time  a  gradual  decline  set  in,  owing  to  financial  straits 
caused  by  a  renewal  of  the  Indian  war.  This  contest  had 
broken  out  afresh  in  1 763.  Again  the  Brethren  were  falsely 
charged  with  supplying  the  savages  with  powder  and  ball. 
Wechquetank  and  Nain  had  to  be  vacated,  owing  to  the 
hostility  of  frontier  sentiment,  whose  violence  culminated 
in  the  massacre  of  the  Connestoga  Indians,  and  their  in- 
habitants removed  to  a  temporary  place  of  safety  on  Prov- 
ince Island,  in  the  Delaware,  and  afterward  in  the  barracks 
at  Philadelphia  (January,  1764 — March,  1765),  where  close 
confinement  and  unsanitary  conditions  caused  fifty-four  of 
their  number  to  fall  a  prey  to  small  pox  and  other  fevers.i 

Meantime,  on  August  28,  1764,  a  General  Synod  con- 
vened at  Marienborn.  Its  outcome  was  the  formation  of 
a  theocratic  republic,  in  the  administration  of  whose  affairs 

1  De  Scluveinitz,  "  Life  and  Times  of  David  Zeisberger,"  pp.  224  seq. 

466 


SETTLEMENT   WITH  ZINZENDORF'S  HEIRS.       467 

the  use  of  the  lot  played  a  most  important  part.  In  this 
republic  a  General  Synod  was  made  supreme,  the  executive 
being  a  board  elected  by  and  responsible  to  it,  and  modi- 
fied in  1769  into  what  was  known  as  the  Unity's  Elders' 
Conference.  Local  management  was  to  be  in  charge  of 
Elders'  Conferences  of  each  congregation,  responsible  to 
the  central  authority. 

Especially  perplexing  for  the  Synod  of  1 764  was  the 
financial  problem  in  its  relationship  to  the  Zinzendorf 
estates ;  for  although  other  moneyed  members  of  the 
church  had  placed  large  sums  at  its  disposal, ^  the  count, 
while  exercising  unlimited  authority,  had  regarded  every 
financial  obligation  of  the  church  as  his  own,  and  had 
absolutely  devoted  all  he  possessed  to  the  furtherance  of 
its  enterprises.  Before  the  law  his  heirs  were  now  the 
owners  of  the  Berthelsdorf  and  Hennersdorf  estates,  includ- 
ing Herrnhut,  with  all  its  important  buildings.  And  yet 
the  debts  of  the  church  had  been  contracted  for  the  Unity 
by  Zinzendorf  largely  without  the  positive  sanction  of 
others.  Hence  the  church  had  a  moral  claim  which  it 
was  difficult  to  define.  The  outcome  was  an  agreement 
of  all  concerned  that  the  heirs  should  be  paid  a  capital  of 
$90,000  and  the  church  become  the  owner  of  the  Zinzen- 
dorf estates  and  give  the  heirs  a  release  from  all  the  debts 
contracted  for  the  church  by  Zinzendorf's  authority.  They 
amounted  to  $773,162,  and  were  not  wholly  expunged 
until  1 80 1, 

Next  year  David  Nitschmann,  the  syndic,  was  dis- 
patched to  America,  to  make  known  the  significance  of 
these  transactions  and  to  communicate  the  measures  taken 


1  Especially  Counts  Von  Promnitz,  Von  Seidlitz,  and  J^euss,  Barons  Sigis- 
mund  Augustus  von  Gersdorf  and  Frederick  de  Watteville,  Jonas  Paulus 
Weiss,  De  Banning,  vSchellinger,  Spangenberg,  Dinah  Raymond  von  Larisch, 
»nd  Mary  Crispe  Stonehouse. 


468  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  vi. 

by  those  at  the  head  of  affairs.  The  Synod  which  he,  as 
a  representative  of  the  directing  board,  convened  for  this 
purpose  at  Bethlehem,  on  May  30th,  was  noteworthy  for 
the  enthusiasm  with  which  the  ministers  and  delegates,  one 
of  the  latter  being  an  Indian,  pledged  to  do  their  part. 

An  important  advance  was  now  made  in  North  Caro- 
lina. Here  Marschall  had  assumed  charge  in  1763,  and 
now  plotted  Salem,  as  originally  designed  in  the  begin- 
ning of  Wachovia.  Through  the  influx  of  Brethren  from 
Europe  it  speedily  became  for  the  operations  of  the  church 
in  the  South  what  Bethlehem  was  in  the  North,  Ettwein, 
Marschall's  assistant,  carrying  the  itinerancy  as  far  as 
Georgia. 

The  eighteenth  General  Synod  at  Marienborn,  in  1 769, 
confirmed  the  principle  that  the  British  and  American 
provinces  of  the  Unity  were  to  be  regarded  only  as  out- 
lying subordinate  branches,  semi- missionary  in  character. 
They  were  to  be  managed  by  boards  known  as  Provin- 
cial Helpers,  appointed  by  and  responsible  to  the  Unity's 
Elders'  Conference  and  not  to  the  congregations  whose 
general  interests  they  superintended.  The  representative 
principle  was  very  partially  recognized,  if  at  all.  For  a 
period  of  about  eighty  years  from  this  time  no  American 
Provincial  Synod  was  empowered  to  convene — a  state  of 
affairs  disastrous  in  a  land  whose  national  life  was  becom- 
ing dominated  by  the  just  spirit  of  independence.  A  com- 
plicated financial  arrangement  was  suffered  to  link  the 
several  congregations  and  the  provinces  as  such  with  the 
Unity  as  a  whole.  Rules  demanded,  possibly,  by  the 
vexatious  alliance  of  church  and  state  in  Europe  were  ^ 
made  binding  in  the  land  of  religious  liberty,  and  became 
shackles.  The  excessive  application  of  the  use  of  the  lot, 
consequent  upon  an  exaggerated  conception  of  the  head- 
ship of  Christ  over  the  church,  and  the  ascetic  regulations 


CHURCH  PROPERTY.  469 

of  the  choir  system  intensified  the  exclusiveness;  and  the 
abnormal  dread  of  incurring  the  charge  of  proselytism  led 
to  a  refusal  to  follow  natural  and  lawful  methods  of  church 
extension,  now  recognized  and  employed  by  the  Moravians 
as  by  every  other  body  of  evangelical  Christians.  Had 
the  American  congregations  been  permitted  to  pursue  a 
natural  course  of  development  after  Christian  Gregor,  John 
Loretz,  and  Hans  Christian  Alexander  von  Schweinitz, 
early  in  the  seventies,  on  commission  from  the  general 
board,  solved  the  most  knotty  problems  involved  in  the 
Unity's  former  ownership  of  the  real  estate  in  America, 
with  a  foothold  in  no  less  than  nine  of  the  colonies,  the 
Moravian  Church  might  have  risen  with  its  opportunities 
and  have  become  a  valuable  factor  in  the  national  life. 
As  it  was,  the  wonder  is  that  it  at  all  held  its  own. 

Even  so,  however,  the  negotiations  of  these  Brethren  were 
most  opportune  at  this  juncture,  for  had  not  a  separation 
of  congregational  and  provincial  property  been  effected 
from  that  of  the  Unity,  and  the  nominal  proprietorship 
and  administration  of  the  latter  devolved  upon  naturalized 
or  native-born  citizens  henceforth,  alien  ownership  might 
have  become  a  serious  matter  after  the  War  of  Independ- 
ence. Typical  of  the  agreements  entered  into  by  the  vari- 
ous settlements  was  that  with  the  congregation  of  Bethle- 
hem, in  accordance  with  which  it  acquired  from  the  Unity 
almost  four  thousand  acres  and  the  buildings  and  busi- 
nesses still  belonging  to  the  church  by  assuming  $87,000 
of  the  debt  of  the  Unity  and  agreeing  to  pay  a  certain 
sum  annually  toward  the  joint  necessities  of  the  American 
Province,  North — administrative  wants  embraced  in  what 
was  now  known  as  the  Sustentation  Diacony.^  Similar 
arrangements  were  also  made  in  the  Wachovia  district. 

1  De  Schweinitz,  "  Financial  History  of  the  American  Province,"  pp.  19 
seq. 


470  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  vi. 

In  November,  1774,  the  site  for  a  new  settlement  was 
surveyed  in  New  Jersey,  near  the  present  town  of  Oxford, 
on  land  purchased  from  Samuel  Green,  a  member  of  the 
church.  Known  first  as  Greenland,  it  in  1775  received 
the  name  of  Hope.  In  1773  and  1775  the  Wachovia  set- 
tlements received  additions  in  the  founding  of  Friedberg 
and  Friedland.  To  the  former  the  members  at  Broadbay, 
Me.,  soon  migrated. 

These  years  were  also  marked  by  an  effort  to  renew  mis- 
sionary labor,  akin  to  the  first  efforts  of  the  Brethren  in 
America.  On -the  invitation  of  the  under-secretary  of 
state  in  London,  Lewis  Miiller  and  John  George  Wagner 
proceeded  via  Sav^annah  to  his  estate  at  Knoxborough  in 
order  to  preach  to  the  slaves.  Brosing,  from  Wachovia, 
joined  them  in  1775,  and  a  favorable  commencement  was 
also  made  at  Silkhope,  the  estate  of  a  Mr.  Habersham. 
But  Miiller  died  of  fever  the  same  year,  and  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  compelled  a  relinquishment  of  the  post. 

In  the  North  the  Indian  mission  had  meantime  taken 
mighty  strides  under  David  Zeisberger.i  At  the  close  of 
the  French  and  Indian  War  the  survivors  of  confinement 
in  Philadelphia  very  naturally  desired  to  shun  the  propin- 
quity of  whites.  With  Zeisberger  and  Schmick  as  their 
spiritual  guides,  at  the  suggestion  of  Chief  Papunhank,  a 
convert,  they  sought  his  former  home  at  Machwiiiilusing 
(Wyalusing),  on  the  north  branch  of  the  Susquehanna, 
and  commenced  to  build  a  new  village,  which  they  named, 
in  fond  anticipation,  P'riedenshiitten — "  tents  of  peace." 
This  was  in  1765.  The  indefatigable  missionary  leader 
now  pressed  on,  and  in  1767,  with  Gottlob  Senseman, 
began  a  new  mission  at  Goschgoschiink,  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Alleghany,  and  two  years  later  John  Roth  com- 
1  Loskiel,  part  iii.,  pp.  1-89;  De  Schv/einitz,  "  Zeisberger,"  pp.  307-381. 


MISSIONS   ON  THE    TUSCARAWAS.  471 

menced  Schechschiquanunk,  on  the  Susquehanna.  In- 
tolerable persecution  of  his  converts  by  the  heathen  wing 
of  their  tribe  compelled  Zeisberger  to  move,  and  after  a 
temporary  stay  at  Lawunakhanuck,  in  1770,  in  sixteen 
canoes,  his  people,  passing  the  present  Pittsburg,  pushed 
into  the  wilderness  and  settled  Friedensstadt — "  city  of 
peace  " — in  Beaver  County.  Before  this  trouble  had  arisen 
at  Friedenshiitten.  In  1768  the  Iroquois  disregarded  their 
covenant  with  the  Moravian  Indians,  and,  though  it  was  no 
longer  theirs,  sold  land  including  the  settlement  to  Penn- 
sylvania at  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix.  No  wonder  Zeis- 
berger therefore  in  1770  thankfully  accepted  the  offer  of  a 
tract  on  the  Tuscarawas  River,  Ohio,  accompanied  as  it  was 
with  the  assurance  that  it  should  never  be  "sold  under 
their  feet  to  the  white  people." 

Delight  at  the  charms  of  the  new  home  and  its  treasure 
of  abundant  limpid  water  won  for  it  the  well-deserved 
name  of  Schonbru'nn — "  beautiful  spring."  Hecke welder, 
not  long  after,  bringing  thither  the  major  part  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Friedensstadt,  a  second  village  was  founded  about 
ten  miles  below,  and  named  by  the  sadly  suggestive  name 
of  Gnadenhiitten.  A  third  station  followed  in  1776, 
Lichtenau — "  meadow  of  light  " — in  Coshocton  County, 
but  was  abandoned  three  years  later  for  Salem,  five  miles 
below  Gnadenhiitten,  on  account  of  the  frequent  passing 
of  war-parties.  And  now  for  a  time  the  hearts  of  the 
missionaries  were  made  glad.  Numerous  bands  of  Indians 
frorri  all .  parts  visited  these  villages,  and  several  noted 
chiefs  yielded  allegi'ance  to  the  Prince  of  Peace.  Though 
the  church  at  Schonbrunn  was  able  to  accommodate  five 
hundred  persons,  it  often  proved  too  small.  Hundreds  of 
acres  were  under  cultivation,  and  cattle  multiplied.  The 
blanket  was  laid  aside,  and  the  tent  gave  place  to  the  neat 


472  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  vi. 

log  cabin.  Colonel  George  Morgan,  Indian  agent  for  the 
Western  District,  expressed  his  astonishment  at  the  degree 
of  civilization  attained. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  struggle  for  independence  the 
Brethren  were  for  the  most  part  conservatives  or  neutrals. 
Some,  however,  took  the  patriotic  side,  like  Von  Schwein- 
itz,  who  in  time  induced  Ettwein  to  accept  the  independ- 
ence of  the  colonies  as  a  providential  development  of  his- 
tory. And  even  before  the  change  in  his  convictions,  the 
sturdy  courage  and  strong  good  sense  of  Ettwein  secured 
for  him  the  friendship  of  Henry  Laurens,  Samuel  Adams, 
Hancock,  and  Washington  among  the  patriot  leaders,  whose 
services  proved  of  value  to  the  Brethren  in  trjnng  times.^ 

Opposed  as  they  were  on  conscientious  grounds  to  all 
oaths,  an  early  effect  of  the  hostilities  was  the  cessation  of 
the  evangelistic  itinerancies.  None  who  declined  to  take 
the  oath  of  the  Test  Act  was  allowed  to  proceed  north  or 
east  of  Easton.  Thus  communications  with  the  authorities 
of  the  church  in  Europe  also  became  very  uncertain. 

From  December  3,  1776,  to  March  27,  1777,  and  from 
September,  1777,  to  June,  1778,  the  general  hospital  of 
the  American  army  was  established  at  Bethlehem ;  and  at 
another  time  the  buildings  at  Lititz  were  requisitioned  for 
similar  purposes.  At  the  Bethlehem  hospital  Ettwein  be- 
came chaplain. 

Though  cheerfully  responding  to  requisitions  for  supplies, 
their  conscientious  scruples  with  reference  to  bearing  arms 
also  involved  the  Brethren  in  serious  trouble,  and  brought 
on  a  very  heavy  financial  burden.  When  notified  that  un- 
less all  males  above  sixteen  years  of  age  presented  them- 
selves for  military  duty  on  a  certain  day  they  would  be 
taxed  three  pounds  and  three  shillings  for  each  man  under 
fifty  years,  they  paid  the  tax.  As  time  wore  on,  however, 
1  "  Transactions  of  the  Moravian  Historical  Society,"  pp.  257,  258. 


VISIT  OF  J.  F.  REICHEL.  473 

the  sentiments  of  the  younger  men  changed,  and  by  them 
the  new  order  of  things  was  accepted  with  satisfaction. 

Meantime  the  development  of  the  internal  administra- 
tion of  the  congregations  progressed.  Many  of  the  diffi- 
culties arising  from  the  circumstances  of  the  times  were 
adjusted  by  Bishop  John  Frederick  Reichel,  a  member  of 
the  Unity's  Elders'  Conference,  who  officially  visited  the 
American  congregations  in  the  spring  of  1779.  An  im 
portant  transaction  of  a  conference  of  ministers  over  which 
he  presided  in  April,  1781,  previous  to  his  return,  was  the 
adoption  of  the  Brotherly  Agreement,  as  the  basis  of  the 
statutes  of  the  various  congregations — a  fundamental  bond 
of  their  union  still. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

THE    PERIOD    OF   DOMINANT   EUROPEAN    INFLUENCE, 
1782-1812. 

Bishop  Nathanael  Seidel  died  on  May  12,  1782, 
and  Ettwein,  his  successor  at  the  head  of  affairs,  was  con- 
secrated a  bishop  by  John  de  Watteville,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Hehl,  on  June  25,  1784.  De  Watteville  and  his 
wife  had  arrived  at  Philadelphia  a  few  weeks  before,  after 
having  suffered  shipwreck  at  Barbuda  while  on  their  way  to 
visit  the  missions  on  the  island  of  Antigua.  He  was  com- 
missioned to  communicate  to  the  American  congregations 
the  transactions  of  the  General  Synod  of  1782,  at  which 
it  had  been  impossible  for  an  American  delegate  to  be 
present. 

By  this  Synod  the  connection  of  the  American  congre- 
gations with  the  governing  board  in  Germany  had  been 
strengthened,  and  the  dominance  of  European,  and  espe- 
cially of  German,  Moravian  conceptions  confirmed.  With 
the  abrogation  of  the  Test  Act  and  the  assured  separation 
of  church  and  state  in  the  young  Republic,  there  was  no 
reason  why  the  Unitas  Fratrum  in  America,  after  recover- 
ing from  the  financial  distresses  of  the  war,  should  not  have 
entered  upon  a  period  of  new  life  and  extension.  But 
now  operations  were  cramped  by  the  unwise  retention  of 
regulations  out  of  keeping  with  the  national  life.  Pain- 
fully minute  attention  was  given  to  the  development  of 
subjective  phases  of  piety  in  the  exclusive  settlements,  to 

474 


THE  SOCIETY  FOR  PROPAGATING    THE    GOSPEL.  475 

the  cramping  of  energies  in  other  directions.  The  finan- 
cial demands  of  the  church's  work,  were  met  by  the  pro- 
ceeds of  business  enterprises  carried  on  for  its  benefit, 
rather  than  by  the  voluntary  gifts  of  the  people.  The  use 
of  the  German  language  in  worship  was  perpetuated,  to 
the  loss  of  members  in  the  cities  and  the  keeping  of 
strangers  at  a  distance.  Persons  who  lived  away  from  the 
settlements  but  sought  the  fellowship  of  the  church  were 
formed  into  societies  ^  sustaining  only  a  quasi-connection 
with  it,  and  not  into  regular  congregations — a  usage  that 
had  little  meaning  or  purpose  in  a  land  free  from  govern- 
mental ecclesiasticism.  The  laymen  had  practically  no 
voice  in  the  general  management.  There  was  a  defi- 
ciency of  well-qualified  ministers.  Men  of  mature  years, 
who  were  sent  from  Europe,  however  scholarly,  could  not 
readily  adjust  themselves  to  the  conditions  and  spirit  of 
American  institutions  or  appreciate  the  opportunities  which 
offered.  Administrative  affairs  of  highest  importance  had 
to  be  referred  to  a  foreign  executive  board. 

The  year  1 787  was  marked  by  the  resuscitation  of  the  old 
missionary  society  of  1745,  under  the  title  of  the  "Society 
of  the  United  Brethren  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  among 
the  Heathen,"  its  headquarters  being  at  Bethlehem,  with 
Ettwein  as  president,  Von  Schweinitz  as  treasurer,  and 
Jacob  van  Vleck  as  secretary.  A  charter  was  obtained 
from  the  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania  in  February,  1788. 
Ettwein  communicated  to  General  Washington  an  account 
of  the  organization  of  the  society,  and  received  a  kind  and 
appreciative  reply,  in  which  the  following  sentence  occurs : 
"So  far  as  I  am  able  of  judging,  the  principles  upon  which 
the  Society  is  founded,  and  the  rules  laid  down  for  its  gov- 
ernment, appear  to  be  well  calculated  to  promote  so  laud- 
able and  arduous  an  undertaking ;  and  you  will  permit  me 

1  Holmes,  "  History,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  143. 


476  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  vn. 

to  add  that  if  an  event  so  long  and  so  ardently  desired 
as  that  of  converting  -the  Indians  to  Christianity  and 
consequently  to  civilization  can  be  effected,  the  Society 
at  Bethlehem  bids  fair  to  bear  a  very  considerable  part 
in  it."^ 

There  had  been  the  more  need  for  committing  the  in- 
terests of  the  missions  among  the  Indians  to  the  care  of  a 
legally  incorporated  society,  because  in  1782  the  flourish- 
ing settlements  on  the  Tuscarawas  had  been  destroyed  by 
American  militia.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  a  petition  had  been  presented  to  Congress, 
setting  forth  the  great  loss  to  the  church  through  this  raid, 
and  asking  for  an  indemnity.  Action  had  been  taken  in 
the  years  1785  and  1787,  to  be  supplemented  by  an  act  in 
1 796,  reserving  the  sites  of  these  settlements — in  all,  twelve 
thousand  acres — for  the  benefit  of  the  Christian  Indians  and 
their  children  forever,  and  making  the  tract  over  to  the 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  as  their  trustee.  The 
distracted  state  of  the  country,  however,  caused  the  sur- 
veying of  the  land  to  be  postponed  till  1797,  when  it  was 
effected  by  General  Putnam,  John  Heckewelder,  and  Wil- 
ham  Henry.  In  October,  1 798,  the  venerable  Zeisberger 
and  a  portion  of  the  converts  returned  and  established  a 
new  mission  station  at  Goshen,  a  few  miles  from  the  pres- 
ent New  Philadelphia.  Since  the  entire  reserve  could  not 
be  used  by  the  Indians,  the  society  admitted  white  set- 
tlers to  the  Gnadenhiitten  and  Salem  tracts,  applying  the 
income  thus  derived  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians.'  John 
Heckewelder  was  appointed  agent  for  the  society,  and 
Louis  Hiibner  became  pastor,  to  be  followed  by  George 
Miiller.  A  second  congregation  was  soon  formed  across 
the  river  from  Gnadenhiitten,  and  named  Beersheba. 

During  the  period  covered  by  these  transactions,  the 
1  MS.  letter  in  the  Bethlehem  Archives. 


THE    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY.  477 

inner  life  of  the  congregations  was  largely  uneventful. 
The  Wachovian  congregations  pursued  the  even  tenor  of 
their  way,  though  the  commencement  of  the  tide  of  emi- 
gration westward  was  already  beginning  to  be  felt. 

The  brief  cessation  of  hostilities  in  Europe  at  the  Peace 
of  Amiens  made  possible  a  General  Synod  at  Herrnhut  in 
1 80 1.  Ultra-conservative  tendencies  crushed  any  Ameri- 
can desire  for  adaptation  to  the  needs  of  the  times.  Though 
the  firm  of  Diirninger  &  Co.,  of  Herrnhut,  came  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  church  by  assuming  the  remainder  of  the  indebt- 
edness that  dated  back  to  Zinzendorf's  day,  grave  appre- 
hensions were  awakened  by  the  financial  condition  of  many 
individual  congregations.  These  new  debts  were  largely 
attributable  to  losses  occasioned  by  the  Napoleonic  wars. 

All  this  had  its  effect  on  the  American  congregations, 
where  the  loss  of  the  old  leaders  was  also  being  felt.  In  1 802 
Ettwein  and  Marschall  died,  and  also  Hans  Christian  Alex- 
ander von  Schweinitz,  who  of  the  governing  board  of  the 
Unity  best  understood  American  needs.  Bishop  George 
Henry  Loskiel  was  sent  from  Europe  as  Ettwein's  successor, 
and  was  assisted  by  John  Gebhard  Cunow,  who  had  come  to 
America  six  years  before  as  administrator  of  the  Unity's 
properties.  In  the  South,  Bishop  Charles  Gotthold  Reichel, 
Lewis  Benzien,  and  Simon  Peter  were  the  leaders. 

From  October  18  to  30,  1802,  a  conference  of  ministers 
met  at  Bethlehem,  at  which  one  especially  important  meas- 
ure was  adopted — the  establishment  of  a  seminary  for  the 
training  of  Moravian  ministers  in  America.  Accordingly, 
in  connection  with  an  official  visitation  from  Germany  paid 
by  Charles  de  Forestier  and  John  Renatus  Verbeek,  in  the 
fall  of  1807  Ern.st  L.  Hazelius  and  John  C.  Beckler  were 
inducted  as  professors  of  the  theological  seminary,  now 
founded  at  Nazareth,  Pa. 

In  1808,  on  Easter  Sunday,  what  had  already  been  fore- 


478  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  vii. 

seen  by  Von  Schweinitz  came  to  pass — the  last  service 
was  held  at  Hope,  N.  J.      It  had  proved  a  costly  failure. 

In  i8ii  Loskiel  retired  from  the  Provincial  Helpers' 
Conference,  and  died  at  Bethlehem  on  April  9,  18 14,  leav- 
ing his  "History  of  the  Mission  among  the  Indians"  as 
a  monument  to  his  memory. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE   TRAGEDY    OF   THE    INDIAN    MISSIONS,    AND    NEW 

EFFORTS    IN    THE   NORTH    AND    THE 

SOUTH,   I  782-1830.1 

Three  prosperous  Christian  Indian  villages  nestled  in 
the  fertile  Tuscarawas  valley,  centers  of  holy  influence, 
whence  six  devoted  men  heralded  the  gospel  throughout 
the  wilderness  between  the  two  frontiers.  The  influence 
of  Zeisberger  in  the  councils  of  the  Iroquois  and  Dela- 
wares  had  been  steadily  employed  to  restrain  them  from 
sweeping  down  upon  the  colonies  when  the  uncertainty  of 
the  contest  with  England  must  have  tempted  the  Indian 
to  despoil  those  who  had  encroached  upon  his  hunting- 
grounds.  But  their  very  neutrality  exposed  the  mission- 
aries and  their  converts  to  the  hostility  of  both  parties. 

On  August  ID,  I  781,  a  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  and 
whites,  under  British  officers,  soon  reenforced  to  three 
hundred,  appeared  at  Salem.  They  drove  off  as  prisoners 
the  entire  population  of  the  Christian  towns,  after  plunder- 
ing their  homes.  In  the  forests  along  the  Sandusky  River 
the  captives  were  deserted  in  October,  practically  without 
provisions.  Soon  Zeisberger  and  his  companions  were  sum- 
moned to  Detroit  as  American  spies.  Their  trial,  Novem- 
ber 9th,  resulted  in  a  complete  acquittal,  but  the  disaster 
to  the  mission  could  not  be  made  good  with  a  mere  word. 

1  Loskiel,  "  History,"  etc.,  pp.  148  seq.;  De  Schweinitz,  "Zeisberger," 
pp.  486  setj.;  Zeisberger's  "  Diary,"  1781-98. 

479 


480  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  viii. 

A  dreadful  winter  was  spent  on  the  Sandusky,  a  pint  of 
corn  a  day  becoming  the  allowance  for  each  member  of 
the  mission  family.  The  extreme  cold  caused  great  suffer- 
ing, and  stated  worship  was  hindered  by  the  surrounding 
savages.  At  length  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  the 
Christian  converts  obtained  permission  to  return  to  the 
Tuscarawas  and  secure  whatever  of  their  unharvested  corn 
might  be  still  standing.^  This  they  accomplished  beyond 
their  most  sanguine  expectations,  and  had  planned  to  set 
out  for  the  Sandusky  on  the  7th  of  March.  But  they 
were  to  experience  the  dire  effects  of  misplaced  American 
indignation.  Although  they  had  repeatedly  shown  their 
consistent  adherence  to  non-combatant  principles,  they 
were  mistakenly  identified  with  the  perpetrators  of  raids 
and  massacres  that  had  horrified  the  border-settlements 
during  the  winter.  To  avenge  these  crimes  about  ninety 
men,  under  Colonel  Williamson,  had  set  out  from  the 
Monongahela.  Inter  arina  silent  leges.  These  militia- 
men arrived  on  the  evening  before  the  Christians  were  to 
have  commenced  their  return  journey,  and  were  hospitably 
entertained  by  the  people,  who  thought  they  had  come  to 
deliver  them  from  the  troubles  originating  in  Detroit.  The 
Salem  Indians  even  came  to  Gnadenhiitten  to  place  them- 
selves under  the  protection  of  Colonel  Williamson.  On 
the  morning  of  the  8th,  ninety  Christians  and  six  heathen 
visitors,  offering  no  resistance,  whatever,  were  butchered  in 
cold  blood  in  two  buildings  wantonly  named  the  "  slaugh- 
ter-houses." Five  of  them  were  assistant  missionaries. 
Only  two  lads  escaped  to  tell  the  tidings.  But  the  Schon- 
brunn  people  had  received  warning  in  time  and  had  fled 
to  the  Sandusky.  On  their  arrival  they  found  that  Zeis- 
berger  and  his  associates  had  again  been   summoned  to 

1  For  the  massacre,  see  Zeisberger's  "  Diary,"  pp.  78-82;  De  Schweinitz, 
"  Zeisberger,"  pp.  530-557. 


NEW  MISSION  STATIONS.  48 1 

Detroit  on  a  renewal  of  the  old  charge.  Again  their  inno- 
cence was  established. 

From  these  misfortunes  the  mission  never  really  recov- 
ered. The  Brethren  leaders  did  indeed  conduct  the  remnant 
by  way  of  Lake  St.  Clair  and  the  Huron  River  to  the  Chip- 
pewa country  in  Michigan,  and  founded  New  Gnadenhiit- 
ten.  After  peace  had  been  concluded  and  Ettwein  had 
secured  the  grant  of  land  in  the  Tuscarawas  valley,  a  party 
of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  converts  set  out  for  their  old 
homes.  But  they  halted  at  Pilgerruh,  on  the  Cuyahoga, 
on  account  of  the  inveterate  hostility  of  the  American 
public  sentiment.  At  length,  after  various  wanderings 
caused  by  Indian  wars,  Goshen  was  settled,  in  1 798,  on 
the  Schonbrunn  tract,  and  Zeisberger  ministered  here,  with 
Edwards  as  his  assistant.  In  1 792  the  veteran  had  founded 
Fairfield,  on  the  Thames  River,  in  Ontario,  where  a  con- 
siderable part  of  his  people  remained. 

Nor  was  the  zeal  of  the  Brethren  exhausted,  in  spite  of  the 
repeated  experience  of  cruel  disaster.  On  the  receipt  of  an 
invitation,  in  the  fall  of  1800,  from  the  Delawares  at  Woapi- 
kamikunk,^  on  a  branch  of  the  Wabash  River,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  send  thither  two  missionaries  and  several  Indian 
families.  John  Peter  Kluge,  formerly  a  missionary  in  Suri- 
nam, and  Abraham  Luckenbach  accordingly  proceeded  to 
Goshen  to  study  the  language  and  receive  instructions  from 
Zeisberger.  Next  spring,  accompanied  by  ten  Christian  In- 
dians, they  sought  their  new  home.  Within  a  year  two 
converts  were  won,  and  soon  a  little  village  of  ten  houses 
under  the  chestnut-trees  surrounded  the  church,  and  a  con- 
gregation of  twenty-three  members  gave  bright  promise. 
But  on  the  death  of  the  friendly  chief  and  the  deposition  of 
his  like-minded  successor,  the  schemes  of  white  rumsellers 
and  Indian  medicine-men  provoked  the  hostility  of  the 

1  "  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  ii.,  pp.  500  sa^.;  vol.  xx.,  pp.  397  st-(j. 


482  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  viii. 

heathen.  In  1805  dangers  thickened.  A  certain  Shaw- 
nee, who  had  ingratiated  himseh  into  the  favor  of  the 
tribe,  claimed  that  he  could  detect  wizards  and  poisoners. 
The  old  chief,  Tettepachsit,  was  accused  by  this  man,  and 
roasted  at  a  slow  fire.  He  sought  to  shield  himself  by  alleg- 
ing that  the  poison  was  kept  in  the  house  of  Joshua,  the 
interpreter  of  the  missionaries.  Joshua  was  also  burned 
at  the  stake,  meeting  his  fate  with  a  Christian  martyr's  con- 
fidence. The  missionaries  barely  escaped  with  their  lives, 
and  the  mission  had  to  be  abandoned. 

In  the  South  the  original  purpose  of  the  settlement  in 
Georgia  had  never  been  wholly  forgotten.  On  three  sev- 
eral occasions  after  the  withdrawal  to  Pennsylvania,  missions 
among  the  Cherokees,Catawbas,Chickasaws,and  Creeks  had 
been  projected,  but  unsuccessfully,  owing  to  the  wars.  At 
last,  in  1799  and  1800,  journeys  of  exploration  were  under- 
taken by  Abraham  Steiner  and  Frederick  von  Schweinitz, 
of  Salem,  N'.  C,  which  led  to  the  founding  of  a  mission 
among  the  Cherokees  at  Springplace,^  in  what  is  now  Mur- 
ray County,  Ga.,  by  Abraham  Steiner  and  Gottlieb  Byhan 
in  1 80 1.  Next  year  Jacob  Wohlfarth  joined  them,  and 
on  Steiner's  return,  in  1802  also,  John  Gambold  took  his 
place.  Wohlfarth  died  in  1807,  before  the  first-fruits  had 
been  gathered,  for  the  intricacies  of  the  Cherokee  tongue 
long  proved  a  hindrance.  But  after  the  first  baptism,  in 
181 1,  gratifying  progress  was  made.  Meanwhile,  in  1807, 
a  second  station  was  established  by  Karsten  Petersen  and 
Christian  Burghardt  in  the  country  of  the  Creeks,  John  P'. 
Holland  becoming  the  third  missionary  here,  at  Oochge- 
logy,  on  the  Flint  River,  in  Gordon  County. 

From  Fairfield,  in  Ontario,  Haven  and  Oppelt  in  1804 
proceeded  to  the  Pettquotting,  in  Erie  County,  O.,  to  re- 

1  "  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  xxviii.,  pp.  323-327. 


DEATH   OF  ZEISBERGER,  483 

new  the  former  station  of  New  Salem,  begun  in  1787  and 
abandoned  in  1 789.  But  the  hardening  intercourse  with  vile 
whites,  and  the  old  curse  of  rum,  made  the  people  irksome 
of  all  restraints.  This  was  a  source  of  special  grief  to  the 
aged  Zeisberger.  Eighty-seven  years  of  age,  he  entered  into 
his  rest  on  November  17,  1808,  at  Goshen.  In  his  sixty- 
two  years  of  marvelous  missionary  toil  he  had  labored 
among  thirteen  tribes.  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Michigan,  and  Ontario  had  wit- 
nessed his  itinerancies.  Translations  of  the  Bible  and  the 
Moravian  hymnal  and  liturgy  into  the  Delaware,  and 
various  Delaware  and  Onondaga  grammars  and  lexicons, 
had  formed  a  part  of  his  literary  labors.  Hundreds  of  In- 
dians had  been  baptized  by  him  and  won  to  a  consistent 
Christian  life.^ 

Though  much  of  his  work  had  been  sadly  neutralized  by 
the  folly  and  selfishness  and  sin  of  whites,  one  of  his  mis- 
sions was  at  this  time  a  source  of  joy.  Fairfield  was  pros- 
pering. Some  years  before,  the  commandant  of  Detroit^ 
had  declared  that  through  the  industry  of  this  settlement 
the  price  of  many  of  the  necessaries  of  life  had  been  re- 
duced. Two  fifths  of  the  corn  and  much  of  the  beef  pur- 
chased by  the  Northwest  Fur  Company  came  from  the 
farms  of  the  Fairfield  Indians. 

But  this  charming  Christian  idyl  was  to  be  rudely  shat- 
tered. The  War  of  1812  aroused  grave  apprehensions. 
When  Detroit  was  occupied  by  General  Harrison,  the  mis- 
sionaries dreaded  the  worst ;  especially  after  the  British 
turned  the  church  into  a  hospital,  and  General  Proctor 
announced  his  intention  to  fortify  the  place.  The  Indian 
congregation  took  to  the  woods ;  and  none  too  soon,  for 

1  De  Schweinitz,  "Zeisberger,"  pp.  686  j'^^. 

2  "  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  ii. ,  p.  334. 


484  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  viii. 

on  October  5,  181 3,  the  battle  of  the  Thames  was  fought 
in  the  vicinity.  Then  the  victorious  Americans,  mistaking 
the  character  of  the  place,  gave  it  to  the  flames.i  Not  a 
house  was  left  standing.  The  missionaries  Jung  and  Schnall 
toiled  back  to  Bethlehem  heart-sick.  Denke  camped  with 
the  fugitive  converts,  as  they  wandered  through  the  for- 
ests, and  with  them  was  exposed  to  the  violence  of  Kicka- 
poo  and  Shawnee  raiders.  For  a  couple  of  years  he  had 
no  tidings  from  his  Brethren.  Not  till  the  close  of  the  war 
was  a  return  to  the  Thames  practicable.  Then  New  Fair- 
field was  built  on  the  opposite  bank,  and  in  18 16  num- 
bered about  thirty  houses,  with  one  hundred  and  twenty 
professing  Christians. 

After  this  there  was  a  gradual  disintegration  of  Goshen, 
owing  to  the  increasing  propinquity  of  whites.  New  Fair- 
field indeed  became  the  gainer  by  this,  and  received  the 
last  remnants  of  the  Moravian  Indians  of  Ohio.  In  1824, 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  having  annually 
spent  for  improvements  on  the  Tuscarawas  Reservation 
large  sums  above  the  receipts  from  the  lands,  with  the 
consent  of  the  Indians  retroceded  it  to  the  United  States 
government,  on  condition  that  the  Christian  Indians  should 
receive  a  per  capita  annuity  of  four  hundred  dollars,  or  a 
new  grant  of  twenty-four  thousand  acres.-  Not  that  mis- 
sionary activity  ceased.  The  first  official  periodical  publi- 
cation of  the  American  Moravian  Church  had  only  recently 
been  launched — the"  Missionary  Intelligencer,"  aquarterly, 
first  issued  in  1822.  In  the  following  year,  to  provide  for 
the  closer  superintendence  of  the  Cherokee  mission,  the 
"  Society  of  the  United  Brethren  in  North  Carolina  for  the 
Furtherance  of  the  Gospel"  was  organized.    And  in  1825 

1  "  Missionary  Intelligencer,"  1854,  p.  367. 

2  De  Schweinitz,  "  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel." 


THE  REMOVAL    OF   THE    CHEKOKEES.  485 

the  parent  society  received  an  endowment  which  made  it 
henceforth  an  important  factor  in  the  general  missionary 
enterprises  of  the  Moravian  Church.  This  was  a  legacy 
devised  by  Godfrey  Haga,  a  retired  merchant  of  Phila- 
delphia and  a  member  of  the  society,  estimated  at  about 
$220,000,  of  which  $20,000  were  to  be  held  in  trust  for 
the  education  of  ministers. 

Unfortunately,  just  when  the  church  was  in  a  position  to 
prosecute  its  enterprises  with  vigor,  national  relations  with 
the  Indians  again  took  an  untoward  course.  Prosperity  had 
been  attending  the  work  among  the  Cherokees.  Among  the 
converts  were  some  of  the  most  influential  leaders  of  the  na- 
tion. A  powerful  revival  had  characterized  the  winter  of 
1824-25.^  The  English  language  had  gained  precedence  as 
the  language  in  which  their  national  records  were  kept. 
Hunting  had  been  largely  exchanged  for  agriculture.  Agri- 
cultural implements,  mills,  machinery  for  cleaning  cotton, 
etc.,  had  been  introduced. ^  The  people  of  the  upper  towns 
desired  to  assimilate  with  the  Americans,  and  those  who  clung 
to  the  hunter's  life  had  begun  their  exodus  to  the  West. 
Now  it  was  that  Georgia,  disregarding  the  solemn  treaties 
made  by  the  general  government  in  1785,  1791,  1798, 
etc.,  sought  to  extend  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  over 
the  eight  thousand  square  miles  of  Cherokee  territory,  and 
refusing  the  Indians  the  right  of  citizenship  and  of  being 
heard  in  the  courts,  sought  to  compel  their  total  removal. 
Nor  did  the  United  States  seem  disposed  to  cast  about  its 
wards  the  protection  of  federal  law.  Manifestly  storm- 
clouds  were  gathering,  and,  in  breaking,  the  tornado  might 
be  expected  to  sweep  away  all  vestiges  of  the  labors  of 
Moravian,  Congregationalist,  Baptist,  and  Methodist  mis- 
sionaries. 

1  "  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  ix.,  p.  355. 

2  Ibid.,  vol.  vii.,  p.  220. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE    PERIOD    OF   TRANSITION,   1813-48. 

An  arrangement  by  which  the  financial  status  of  the 
Moravian  Church  in  Europe  and  America  could  be  mutu- 
ally affected  for  good  or  ill  by  events  transpiring  on  dis- 
tant continents,  and  methods  of  administration  which  failed 
to  take  account  of  the  development  of  national  character- 
istics, while  ignoring  opportunities  conditioned  by  diversi- 
fied relations  of  church  and  state,  could  not  remain  in  per- 
petuity. Inklings  of  the  coming  changes  might  be  found 
by  the  observant  in  the  abrogation  of  the  "  Brethren's 
Houses  "  as  integral  parts  of  the  individual  settlements  in 
America  during  the  second  decade  of  the  century.  As  in 
Britain,  these  buildings  were  utilized  for  educational  pur- 
poses in  several  instances. 

The  necessity  for  changes  came  to  the  surface  at  the  first 
General  Synod  held  after  the  Peace  of  Paris,  in  Herrnhut, 
in  the  year  18 18,  when  the  debt  of  the  church  was  re- 
ported to  be  $660,000.  Moreover  it  was  then  evident 
that  a  halt  had  to  be  called  in  respect  to  the  wide  use  of  the 
lot.  The  American  delegates  had  been  instructed  to  have 
it  abrogated  in  connection  with  the  approval  of  marriages  of 
members,  and  obtained  their  request  as  far  as  their  province 
was  concerned.    The  rite  of  foot- washing  was  also  abolished. 

Nor  were  these  changes  made  any  too  soon ;  for  since 
the  beginning  of  the  century  the  Unity  had  been  losing 
members  in  the  home  field,  and  especially  in  America. 

486 


NEW  ENTERPRISES.  487 

Donegal,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Hope  and  Woolwich,  in 
New  Jersey,  had  been  abandoned.  Gnadenthal,  Christian- 
spring,  and  Friedensthal  had  been  merged  into  Nazareth. 
The  people  of  Gnadenhiitten,  on  the  Mahoning,  had  moved 
to  Beersheba,  in  Ohio,  to  be  finally  merged  into  the  new 
Gnadenhiitten  in  1824.  Of  new  enterprises  to  offset  all 
this,  mention  can  only  be  made  of  the  building  of  a  church 
at  Sharon,  near  Goshen,  in  1815,  by  Jacob  Blickensderfer, 
and  the  organization  of  efforts  on  behalf  of  the  negroes  of 
Salem,  N.  C.,  by  Abraham  Steiner,  with  the  erection  of  a 
church  in  1823.  For  a  time  the  prospects  of  this  mission 
were  very  bright ;  but  a  painful  interruption  was  soon  ex- 
perienced from  the  effects  of  an  act  passed  by  the  State 
legislature,  prohibiting  the  imparting  of  any  form  of  edu- 
cation to  the  negroes. 

Undesigned  coincidences,  and  leadings  of  Providence, 
rather  than  the  formulation  of  any  new  policy,  were  des- 
tined to  furnish  the  points  for  the  crystallization  of  the 
radical  changes  that  were  inevitable. 

Since  1825  a  number  of  Moravians  from  North  Carolina 
had  settled  in  what  is  now  Bartholomew  County,  Ind.  In 
November,  1829,  a  zealous  layman  who  had  been  licensed 
to  preach  in  consequence  of  activity  in  the  Sunday-school 
and  other  evangelistic  labors — Martin  Hauser — had  come 
from  Salem  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  these  scattered 
families  into  a  congregation.  His  appeal  to  the  Northern 
board  for  aid,  in  the  following  year,  had  been  favorably 
entertained.  Land  was  bought,  and  at  Goshen,  later  Hope, 
a  congregation  organized  in  1 831  by  Louis  David  de 
Schweinitz,  the  administrator  of  the  Unity's  property,  who 
had  been  sent  to  inspect  the  prospects. 

Among  the  hills  of  eastern  New  York,  forty-six  miles 
northeast  of  Albany,  and  near  the  line  of  Vermont,  at 
Camden  Valley,  the  people  were  well-nigh  without  gospel 


488  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  ix. 

privileges.  Among  them  were  descendants  of  Abraham 
Biininger,  one  time  missionary  among  the  Indians  at  Pach- 
gatgoch,  who  had  made  his  home  in  the  primeval  wilder-, 
ness  here  in  1770.  They  applied  for  a  minister  in  1830, 
and  the  Rev.  Charles  Blech,  who  was  sent,  succeeded  in 
building  a  church  in  1834. 

In  1836  a  third  new  field  was  entered,  the  southern  por- 
tion of  Wayne  County,  Pa.,  where  Hopedale  was  organ- 
ized by  the  Rev.  Emanuel  Rondthaler,  of  Nazareth,  among 
emigrants  from  Baden,  who  had  known  of  the  Moravian 
Church  in  Europe. 

In  the  South,  the  United  Brethren's  Home  Missionary 
Society  of  North  Carolina  was  founded  in  1835,  to  further 
the  evangelistic  efforts  for  some  time  already  prosecuted 
in  the  mountains  of  what  is  now  West  Virginia  by  Vanne- 
man  Zevilly,  from  which  resulted  the  congregation  of 
Mount  Bethel. 

The  beginnings  of  Dover,  O.,  West  Salem,  III,  Enon, 
Ind.,  and  an  attempt  in  New  Philadelphia,  O.,  now  fol- 
lowed in  rapid  succession.  The  settlement  of  the  second 
of  these,  in  1844,  involved  the  breaking  of  virgin  soil  and 
the  erection  of  the  log  cabins  of  pioneers,  and  again  the 
indefatigable  Hauser  was  willing  to  take  the  lead,  and  to 
sacrifice  his  own  and  his  family's  prospects  for  the  welfare 
of  the  church. 

Thus  indication  after  indication  was  given  that  the  time 
had  come  for  the  acknowledgment  of  a  revolution  in  spirit 
and  method.  Nowhere  was  this  more  thoroughly  felt  than 
at  Bethlehem,  the  center  of  influence.  Here  a  vote  of  the 
church  council,  on  January  11,  1844,  decided  upon  the 
abolition  of  the  peculiar  institutions  of  the  exclusive  re- 
ligious establishment ;  and  this  proved  the  initial  step  to 
a  decisive  determination  of  the  character  of  the  modern 
American  Moravian  Church.     However,  before  the  Unitas 


CONSnrUTIONAL    CHANGES  PRESAGED.  489 

Fratrum  in  America  could  be  fully  free  to  adapt  itself  to 
the  genius  and  institutions  of  the  country,  it  needed  to 
acquire  practical  independence  of  the  central  authorities  in 
Germany  by  the  consent  of  a  General  Synod  and  through 
the  remodeling  of  the  constitution  of  the  Unity.  Very 
important  preparation  for  this  was  made  at  a  conference 
of  the  ministers  in  the  North  convened  at  Bethlehem 
from  May  4  to  20,  1847.  The  whole  status  of  the  church 
came  under  discussion.  Provision  was  made,  subject  to 
ratification  by  the  General  Synod,  for  the  convening  of  a 
Provincial  Synod  at  stated  intervals,  to  which  the  board 
known  as  the  Provincial  Helpers'  Conference  should  be 
more  measurably  responsible.  Hitherto  wholly  appointed 
by  the  authorities  in  Germany,  acting  as  their  agents,  and 
sometimes  composed  of  men  who  had  reached  advanced 
years  without  any  personal  acquaintance  with  America 
before  assuming  office,  the  American  executive  board  was 
henceforth  to  be  elected  by  the  American  Synod,  except 
that  the  administrator,  as  manager  of  the  Unity's  prop- 
erty, should  ex  officio  be  the  third  member.  This  inconsist- 
ency was  necessitated  by  financial  circumstances.  There 
remained  considerable  estates  not  yet  transferred  from  the 
church  as  a  whole.  The  congregations  in  the  North  and 
in  the  South  constituted  two  distinct  units,  though  subor- 
dinate to  and  involved  in  the  general  financial  body  of  the 
church.  Each  of  these  provincial  divisions,  having  its  own 
executive  management,  as  such  had  to  meet  sundry  gen- 
eral expenses — the  salarizing  of  members  of  the  executive 
board,  the  appointment,  transfer,  and  pensioning  of  minis- 
ters, the  rendering  of  aid  to  weak  congregations,  the  finan- 
cial care  of  the  educational  institutions,  church  publications, 
etc.  But  as  the  accounts  of  separate  congregations  also 
brought  them  into  financial  relations  with  the  administrator 
in  his  double  capacity  of  provincial  treasurer  and  of  agent 


490  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  ix. 

for  the  Unity  at  large,  the  consequent  intricacies  of  the 
financial  system  could  not  be  at  once  set  aside. 

In  the  midst  of  the  uncertainty  and  anxiety  occasioned 
by  the  shocks  of  revolution  which  distressed  the  continent 
of  Europe  in  1848,  the  General  Synod  met  at  Herrnhut 
in  May.  America  was  represented  by  Bishop  Peter  Wolle 
and  the  Revs.  John  C.  Jacobson,  Henry  Augustus  Shultz, 
David  Bigler,  and  George  Frederick  Bahnson  from  the 
North,  and  Bishop  William  Henry  van  Vleck  and  the  Rev. 
Charles  Frederick  Kluge  from  the  South.  In  the  course  of 
its  deliberations,  the  Synod  gave  expression  to  its  recogni- 
tion of  the  vast  field  of  opportunity  before  the  Moravian 
Church  in  America  among  the  ever-increasing  number  of 
German  immigrants.^  The  requests  of  the  American  Prov- 
ince were  granted,  with  the  proviso  that  the  two  elected 
members  of  the  executive  board  should  be  approved  by 
the  lot,  and  that  the  Unity's  Elders'  Conference  should 
appoint  one  of  them  president,  and,  further,  that  the  right 
of  individual  members  or  officials  or  boards  of  congrega- 
tions to  deal  directly  with  the  Unity's  Elders'  Conference  be 
guaranteed. 

1  "  Synodal  Verlass,"  1848,  pp.  208,  209,  241-244. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE    ERA    OF    HOME    MISSIONS    AND    CONSTITUTIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT,   1848-60. 

To  take  advantage  of  the  measure  of  independence  which 
had  been  achieved,  a  Provincial  Synod  was  convened  in 
Bethlehem,  in  June,  1849.  Bishop  J.  C.  Jacobson,  subse- 
quently its  president,  and  the  Rev.  Henry  A.  Shultz  were 
elected  members  of  the  new  executive  board,  the  Rev. 
Philip  H.  Goepp,  as  administrator,  being  ex  officio  the  third. 
Provision  was  made  for  the  readjustment  of  the  general 
finances  and  of  the  relationship  of  the  several  congrega- 
tions to  their  joint  obligations.  A  monthly  periodical,  the 
"Moravian  Church  Miscellany,"  was  founded,  and  the  pub- 
lication of  a  new  edition  of  the  hymnal  arranged  for.  But 
most  significant  was  the  attitude  of  the  Synod  over  against 
a  policy  of  vigorous  church  extension. 

A  Home  Missionary  Society  1  had  previously  been  called 
into  existence  in  March,  chiefly  by  the  exertions  of  Henry 
A.  Shultz,  its  first  president.  To  the  eleven  members  of 
its  board  of  managers,  only  three  of  whom  were  ministers. 
Synod  committed  the  general  oversight  of  the  work  of  ex- 
tension, with  the  proviso  that  each  appointment  of  a  home 
missionary  must  have  the  approval  and  sanction  of  the 
Provincial  Elders'  Conference.    The  formation  of  auxiliary 

1  The  "  Mora/ian,"  August  I,  1871 ;  "Moravian  Church  Miscellany," 
1850,  p.  191. 

491 


492  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  x. 

societies  in  the  various  congregations  speedily  followed, 
though  some  of  these  preferred  to  support  distinct  mis- 
sions of  their  own. 

A  call  was  now  given  to  the  Rev.  John  Frederick  Fett, 
hitherto  doing  evangelistic  work  among  the  Germans  of 
Philadelphia,  and  formerly  active  in  the  "Diaspora"  of 
the  Moravian  Church  in  Switzerland,  to  prospect  among 
the  Germans  of  the  Northwest.  Correspondence  had  pre- 
viously been  exchanged  with  Andrew  M.  Iverson,  of  Mil- 
waukee, a  Norwegian,  educated  in  the  Mission  Institute  at 
Stavanger,  who  was  ministering  to  a  small  congregation 
of  Scandinavians  and  with  them  desired  admission  to  the 
fellowship  of  the  Moravian  Church.  On  Fett's  recom- 
mendation, this  request  was  granted  and  Iverson  ordained. 
Fett's  former  station  in  Philadelphia  was  occupied  by  the 
Rev.  Philip  H.  Gapp.  The  Rev.  C.  Pfohl,  who  had  already 
been  in  charge  of  an  extensive  circuit  in  Hendricks  County, 
Ind.,  came  into  connection  with  the  board,  and  Heinrich 
Lauenroth  was  sent  to  the  Germans  of  Cleveland.  In  June, 
1850,  Fett,  in  company  with  the  Rev.  Otto  Tank,  formerly 
missionary  in  Surinam,  visited  Green  Bay,  Wis.,  and  the 
result  was  the  establishment  of  a  Moravian  home  mission 
there  in  185  i.  On  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Fox  River,  at 
Fort  Howard,  and  also  on  the  road  from  Fort  Howard  to 
Depere,  with  the  assistance  of  Tank,  Iverson's  Norwegians 
formed  settlements.  In  January,  185  i,  Charles  Barstow, 
Pfohl's  successor,  extended  his  circuit  into  Putnam  and  Mor- 
gan counties,  and  in  time  organized  Coatesville.  Mean- 
while Hauser  was  most  active  at  West  Salem,  Olney, 
Mount  Carmel,  and  Albion,  in  southern  Illinois. 

In  October,  1851,  Rev.  John  G.  Kaltenbrunn,  formerly 
of  Neusalz,  in  Silesia,  began  home  mission  work  among  the 
Germans  of  New  York  City,  and  in  the  following  year,  though 
not  under  the  auspices  of  the  parent  society,  a  commence- 


HOME   MISSIONS.  -  493 

ment  of  Moravian  services  was  made  in  Brooklyn  by  the 
Revs.  John  F.  Warman  and  David  Bigler. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  Kaltenbrunn  was  sent  on  a  tour  of 
exploration  to  Watertown,Wis.,  and  its  vicinity.  Upon  his 
reporting"  favorably,  a  number  of  his  New  York  members  re- 
solved to  emigrate  thither,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Home 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  that  city, 
which  promised  to  secure  forty  acres  of  land  and  support  the 
missionary  for  one  year.  Thus  Ebenezer,  near  Watertown, 
was  founded.  Kaltenbrunn's  place  was  taken  by  Ulrich 
Giinther,  of  late  a  colporteur  of  the  New  York  Tract 
Society,  who  found  opportunity  to  preach  at  Greenville, 
N.  J.,  in  addition  to  attending  to  his  city  charge. 

Reiterated  calls  for  the  services  of  the  Moravian  Church 
now  came  from  New  Haven,  Utica,  and  New  Orleans.  The 
second  of  these  was  supplied  in  June,  1854,  by  Valentine 
Miiller,  a  colporteur  of  the  American  Tract  Society  at 
Rochester.  Gapp  and  Praeger,  from  Philadelphia,  began 
services  at  Palmyra,  Camden,  and  Centreville,  N.  J. 

Kaltenbrunn's  successes  had  made  it  possible  for  Lake 
Mills  to  bud  out  into  a  charge  distinct  from  Ebenezer  in 
June,  1756,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  F.  J.  Kilian,  with 
two  filials.  North  Salem  and  Newville,  ere  long.  At  Utica 
J.  J.  Detterer  followed  Miiller  in  the  same  year  and  met 
with  large  success.  Giinther's  first  visit  to  New  Haven, 
in  1853,  branched  into  quite  an  extensive  activit}^  in  New 
England,  where  Leonard  Rau  and  William  Geyer  had  ap- 
pointments among  the  Germans  of  New  Haven,  Provi- 
dence, Norwich,  Worcester,  Webster,  Chnton,  Woonsocket, 
and  Attleborough.  In  October,  1857,  Martin  A.  Erdman 
was  sent  to  Chaska,  Minn.,  whither  several  former  mem- 
bers of  the  Hopedale  church  had  removed,  and  also  began 
Henderson,  about  six  miles  distant. 

In  1855  the  Provincial  Synod  made  a  change  in  the  ad- 


494  '^^^   MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  x. 

ministration  of  this  entire  work,  placing  it  in  charge  of  a 
Home  Mission  Board  consisting  jointly  of  the  Provincial 
Elders'  Conference  and  eight  other  members  specially 
elected  by  Synod.  But  the  new  system  did  not  put  an  end 
to  the  association  at  Bethlehem,  which  had  been  the  parent 
society.  It  resumed  its  original  form  as  a  local  organiza- 
tion taking  charge  of  certain  specific  portions  of  the  general 
field.  The  same  held  good  in  a  similar  manner  of  th^ 
former  auxiliary  societies  at  Philadelphia  and  Nazareth. 

Meantime  important  constitutional  changes  were  being 
effected  whereby  provision  was  made  for  provincial  inde- 
pendence. The  General  Synod  of  185  7,  in  particular,  made 
possible  for  the  American  church  a  career  of  untrammeled 
usefulness.  The  initiative  had  been  taken  by  the  Provin- 
cial Synod  of  1855,  held  at  Bethlehem,  and  constituted  of 
twenty-six  clergymen  and  thirty-three  lay  members.  Con- 
tent to  retain  former  terms  and  designations,  it  demanded 
that  the  right  to  self-government  should  be  conceded,  and 
that  for  each  province  of  the  church  the  supreme  author- 
ity in  provincial  affairs  should  be  vested  in  the  Provincial 
Synod,  constituted  of  ministers  and  laymen,  and  relegat- 
ing its  power  in  the  intervals  between  its  assembling  to 
an  elected  executive  board  of  ministers  known  as  the  Pro- 
vincial Elders'  Conference.  The  first  incumbents  of  this 
office,  Bishop  Jacobson  and  the  Revs.  Sylvester  Wolle  and 
Philip  H.  Goepp,  were  then  elected  in  accordance  with 
these  tentative  measures.  The  occasions  when  recourse 
should  be  had  to  the  use  of  the  lot  were  so  defined  as  to 
make  it  the  exception  and  not  the  rule  in  administrative 
affairs.  It  was  resolved  to  found  a  weekl}/  church  paper, 
the  "  Moravian,"  and  establish  a  publication  house  and 
book-store  in  Philadelphia,  the  former  to  be  edited  by  the 
Rev.  Edmund  de  Schweinitz,  with  power  to  secure  asso- 
ciates, and  the  latter  to  be  under  the  superintendence  of 


THE    GENERAL    SYNOD    OF  1857.  495 

Francis  Jordan.  Finally  Synod  resolved  to  found  a  college 
in  connection  with  the  theological  seminary,  and  for  the 
use  of  the  double  institution  purchased  the  Whitefield 
House  at  Nazareth. 

Though  this  radical  legislation,  elaborated  in  the  succeed- 
ing Provincial  Synod  of  1856,  aroused  much  feeling  through- 
out the  various  sections  of  the  Moravian  Church,  the  General 
Synod  of  1857,  at  which  the  American  church  was  repre- 
sented, in  addition  to  the  Rev.  Charles  Frederick  Kluge,  the 
vice-president  of  the  Synod,  by  the  Revs.  Philip  H.  Goepp, 
Lewis  F.  Kampmann,  Edmund  de  Schweinitz,  Edwin  T. 
Senseman,  Eugene  A.  Friiauff,  Emil  de  Schweinitz,  Levin 
T.  Reichel,  and  S.  T.  Pfohl,  after  a  very  full  and  frank  dis- 
cussion, practically  fell  in  with  the  American  suggestions. 
Parity  of  representation  by  elected  delegates  at  the  Gen- 
eral Synods  was  conceded  to  the  three  provinces,  as  well 
as  self-government  in  provincial  affairs,  with  the  reserva- 
tion of  a  right  of  appeal  to  the  Unity's  Elders'  Conference. 
Fortunately  questions  of  property  had  not  become  in- 
volved to  any  extent,  and  the  common  bond  of  the  work 
of  evangelization  among  the  heathen  was  left  undisturbed. 

In  order  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  this  new  constitu- 
tion, the  Provincial  Synod  of  the  American  church.  North, 
convened  at  Bethlehem  on  June  2,  1858,  and  a  provincial 
constitution  was  adopted,  fundamental  to  which  were  tri- 
ennial Synods,  and  a  Provincial  Elders'  Conference  of  three 
members,  with  a  six  years'termof  office,  empowered  to  make 
all  appointments  to  ministerial  positions,  administer  the 
provincial  funds,  and  serve,  in  short,  as  general  executive. 

In  connection  with  the  gradual  emergence  into  inde- 
pendence, special  importance  attaches  to  the  capitalization 
of  the  Sustentation  Fund.  The  conditions  of  purchase 
by  which  the  old-settlement  congregations  during  the 
years    1770-75    had  acquired  from  the   Unity  a  title  to 


496  THE  MORA  VIANS.  [Chap.  x. 

their  real  estate  had  included  a  pledge  to  pay  certain  sums 
annually  toward  the  common  needs  of  the  province  as  a 
whole,  embraced  in  two  divisions,  known  as  the  Sustenta- 
tion  Diacony  and  the  Educational  Diacony.  The  former 
provided  the  salaries  of  certain  provincial  officers,  assisted 
pastors  who  received  an  inadequate  support,  and  supplied 
the  pensions  of  the  superannuated.  The  latter  was  charged 
with  the  accounts  of  the  educational  work  of  the  church, 
and  in  particular  made  provision  for  the  education  of  min- 
isters' children.  Furthermore,  the  agreement  took  cog- 
nizance of  the  probable  increase  in  the  value  of  the  real 
estate  by  requiring  that  in  the  event  of  such  an  increase 
these  congregations  should  apply  a  proportionate  part  of 
the  gain  in  such  a  way  that  the  American  Province  as  a 
whole  might  reap  a  share  in  the  benefit.  After  the  abroga- 
tion of  the  exclusive  system,  the  rise  of  real  estate  rapidly 
improved  the  status  of  the  landed  congregations.  Indebt- 
edness to  the  Unity  was  paid  off.  Then,,  in  1851,  Beth- 
lehem, and,  soon  after,  Nazareth  and  Lititz,  abolished  all 
vestiges  of  the  quasi-communal  system  for  ecclesiastical 
finances ;  incorporation  was  secured,  and  final  settlement 
made  with  the  Province  to  redeem  pledges  with  reference 
to  the  rise  in  value  and  all  annual  grants  by  one  gift. 
Recognition  was  indeed  made  of  the  obligation  to  still  re- 
gard the  congregational  endowments  as  a  trust  to  be  em- 
ployed, not  for  selfish  easement,  but  as  an  increment  of 
latent  power  to  be  developed  for  the  advantage  of  the 
whole  church.  By  these  transactions  Bethlehem  made 
over  about  $116,000,  to  constitute  what  could  now  be 
termed  a  Sustentation  Fund;  Nazareth,  about  $59,000; 
and  Lititz,  $20,000.  These  moneys  were  to  be  adminis- 
tered as  a  trust  by  the  Provincial  Conference,  and  the  in- 
come applied  to  all  the  uses  of  the  former  Sustentation  and 
Educational  Diaconies,  including  the  defrayal  of  expenses 


THE   SYNOD    OF  ISoS.  497 

of  the  theological  seminary  not  otherwise  provided  for, 
and  the  meeting  of  deficits  in  connection  with  the  church 
publications.  Hence  the  progress  of  the  church  became 
inseparably  connected  with  the  condition  of  the  Sustenta- 
tion  Fund. 

Three  acts  of  the  Synod  of  1858  remain  yet  to  be  noted  : 
the  removal  of  the  book-store,  with  the  "  Moravian,"  the 
Rev.  E.  T.  Senseman  being  editor  since  1859,  from  Phila- 
delphia to  Bethlehem,  where  the  German  "  Briiderblatt " 
was  also  issued,  the  Rev.  Charles  F.  Seidel  and  then  the 
Revs.  Theophilus  Wunderling  and  John  C.  Brickenstein 
being  editors ;  the  removal  of  the  college  and  theological 
seminary  to  Bethlehem,  with  the  Rev.  L.  F.  Kampmann  as 
president;  and  the  publication  of  the  "  Moravian  Manual," 
a  compend  of  the  constitution,  statutes,  and  ritual  of  the 
Moravian  Church,  by  the  Rev.  Edmund  de  Schweinitz,  in 
1859.  The  first  two  of  these  measures  reestablished  and 
confirmed  the  importance  of  Bethlehem  as  the  center  of 
Moravian  influence,  and  the  third  made  it  possible  for  the 
Christian  world  to  easily  form  an  intelligent  estimate  of 
Moravianism. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

THE    INDIAN    MISSIONS,   183O-66. 

For  the  Cherokee  nation  forceful  removal  from  its  con- 
stantly widening  acreage  of  well-tilled  land  seemed  inevi- 
table, unless  the  federal  authority  intervened  to  check  the 
rapacity  of  Georgia.  Orders  were  issued  enjoining  all 
whites  to  vacate  the  Cherokee  country  by  March,  1833, 
exceptions  being  made  in  the  case  of  officials  of  the  State 
or  of  the  United  States  only. 

This  compelled  the  withdrawal  of  all  the  missionaries 
except  Gottlieb  Byhan,  who  was  screened  by  his  appoint- 
ment as  United  States  postmaster  at  Springplace.  His 
arrest,  but  speedy  release,  followed.  The  other  mission- 
aries found  a  temporary  home  with  Captain  McNair,  across 
the  border  of  Tennessee.  Continuing  to  visit  his  charge, 
the  Rev.  Henry  G.  Clauder  was  arrested  on  March  31st 
by  Georgia  guards  under  Captain  Nelson.  A  temporary 
release  was  followed  by  a  peremptory  notice,  in  July,  to 
leave  the  country  within  ten  days.  Next  year  he  indeed 
returned  to  Springplace  by  virtue  of  succeeding  Byhan  as 
postmaster;  and  during  the  entire  period  of  anxiety  ser- 
vices were  maintained  at  Oochgeloogy  by  Abraham  Hicks 
and  Christian  David  Wattee,  native  assistants.  But  when 
the  State  of  Georgia  divided  the  Cherokee  country  among 
the  whites  by  lottery,  the  mission  property  at  the  latter 
place  was  forcibly  seized  by  strangers,  and  on  New-Year's 
day,  1833,  three  families  compelled  Clauder  to  give  up  half 

498 


THE   CHEROKEE  MISSION.  499 

of  the  mission  house  at  Springplace,  and  a  few  days  later 
a  so-called  agent  of  the  State  government  expelled  both 
the  missionary  and  the  intruders.  Springplace  became  a 
county-seat  and  the  mission  church  its  court-house. 

Again  McNair  accorded  a  friendly  welcome  and  pro- 
vided a  temporary  center  for  missionary  operations,  placing 
a  house  and  a  plot  of  ground  at  the  disposal  of  his  guests. 
But  in  1837  the  compulsory  deportation  took  place,  under 
the  superintendence  of  United  States  troops  commanded 
by  General  Scott.  Thirteen  thousand  exiles  were  removed 
west  of  the  Mississippi  during  the  fall  of  this  year.  Chief 
John  Ross,  or  Kroweskowee,  the  head  of  the  nation,  a 
well-educated  Christian  gentleman,  and  attached  to  the 
Moravian  Church  by  various  ties,  could  give  no  assurance 
that  the  missionaries  would  be  permitted  to  rejoin  them. 
Notwithstanding  this,  in  September,  1838,  Renatus  Smith, 
Miles  Vogler,  and  Herman  Ruede  were  sent  to  the  Barren 
Fork  of  the  Illinois,  a  tributary  of  the  Arkansas,  where  a 
number  of  the  former  members  were  gathered. 

During  1840  and  1841  the  continued  experience  of  ill 
health  caused  a  removal  of  most  of  the  people  to  Beatt-ie's 
Prairie,  where  a  church  known  as  Canaan  was  next  erected. 
With  the  coming  of  additional  missionaries,  David  Zeis- 
berger  Smith  and  Gilbert  Bishop,  the  founding  of  a  second 
station  was  possible.  New  Springplace,  served  by  Bishop 
and  Ruede.  The  year  1846  was  marked  by  a  notable  re- 
vival ;  but  in  August  and  September  Smith  and  Bishop  lost 
their  wives  from  fever.  Edwin  J.  Mack  and  Allanson  E. 
Wohlfarth  were  soon  after  sent  out  as  assistants,  and  this 
addition  made  it  possible  to  accede  to  the  wishes  of  the 
people  in  supplying  Mount  Zion  as  a  third  station,  recently 
abandoned  by  the  American  Board. 

Connection  with  the  home  churches  was  to  have  been 
strengthened  by  a  visit  of  inspection  on  the  part  of  Bishop 


500  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  xi. 

John  G.  Hermann,  in  the  summer  of  1854.  But  the  jour- 
ney thither  from  Salem,  N.  C,  by  private  conveyance, 
proved  too  arduous  for  a  man  advanced  in  hfe,  and  on 
the  way  home  he  succumbed  to  typhus  fever  in  a  lonely 
district  of  Arkansas. 

A  second  visitor,  the  Rev.  G.  F.  Bahnson,  who  success- 
fully eflfected  the  desired  inspection  four  years  later,  ex- 
pressed views  regarding  the  mission  that  were  full  of  hope, 
and  gave  it  as  his  belief  that  ere  long  it  might  be  served  by 
native  laborers. 

But  again  the  story  of  Moravian  missions  among  the 
Indians  was  to  be  tinged  with  the  sanguine  hue  of  border 
strife.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  its  geographical 
position  involved  the  Indian  Territory  in  the  struggle.  Re- 
membering Georgia's  treatment  of  their  race,  the  majority 
of  the  Cherokees  sided  with  the  North.  Lawless  bands 
roamed  about  and  plundered  and  ravaged. ^  On  Septem- 
ber 2,  1862,  Ward,  a  native  assistant  missionary,  was  shot 
by  Indians  as  a  supposed  Southern  sympathizer,  and  New 
Springplace  was  pillaged.  .  Bishop  was  arrested  by  a  sub- 
ordinate officer,  and  threatened  with  hanging  as  "  a  con- 
servative." But  friendly  Indians  interposed,  knowing  him 
to  be  a  Pennsylvanian ;  and  in  two  weeks  he  was  released 
by  the  express  order  of  General  Blunt.  Meantime  his  wife 
and  Ward's  widow,  with  their  children,  underwent  great 
hardships.  But  at  last  Bishop  was  reunited  to  his  family 
and  made  his  way  home  to  the  North.  At  Canaan,  which 
had  not  suffered  so  severely,  Mack  for  a  time  held  his 
ground,  and  sheltered  Mrs.  Ward  and  her  children  till 
they  left  for  West  Salem,  111.  Here,  in  spite  of  every  kind 
attention,  she  soon  sank  under  her  burden  of  sorrow  and 
fatigue.  Mack  was  also  compelled  to  leave,  and  settled  in 
Missouri ;  the  station  at  Canaan  was  completely  destroyed, 
1  ■'  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  x.xviii.,  p.  324. 


THE  MIGRATION  FROM  NEW  FAIRFIELD.  50 1 

and  the  members  scattered.  It  seemed  as  if  the  Cherokee 
mission  had  met  its  death-blow. 

But  after  the  war,  on  commission  of  the  Provincial 
Elders'  Conference  in  Salem,  Mack  returned  on  a  tour  of 
investigation,  and,  reporting  favorably,  was  appointed  to 
recommence  the  mission  in  1866,  reoccupying  New  Spring- 
place  in  hope  against  hope. 

About  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  Cherokees  to  the 
West,  an  eventful  change  transpired  for  the  Delawares  of 
New  Fairfield,  in  Ontario.  In  July,  1 837,  two  thirds  of  their 
number,  about  two  hundred  and  thirty  souls,  proceeded  to 
Detroit  in  canoes,  accompanied  by  the  Rev.  Jesse  Vogler. 
Their  objective  was  Missouri ;  but  the  majority  wintered  at 
Lake  Winnebago,  while  a  smaller  number  pushed  on  with 
Vogler  to  the  vicinity  of  the  present  Kansas  City,  where 
next  year  the  settlement  of  Westfield  was  established,  and 
the  Winnebago  contingent,  augmented  by  people  of  sev- 
eral tribes,  joined  them.  Varied  fortunes  followed,  and  it 
became  evident,  from  a  government  survey  in  1851,1  that 
the  land  on  which  the  Christian  Indians  were  living  was 
the  property  of  the  Wyandottes,  and  that  those  from 
whom  they  thought  they  had  regularly  acquired  permis- 
sion to  settle  had  not  been  the  lawful  owners  in  the  first 
instance.  Removal  from  Westfield  became  a  necessity. 
Now  the  claim  of  the  Moravian  Delawares,  based  on  the 
retrocession  of  the  lands  on  the  Tuscarawas,  was  revived, 
and  measurably  acknowledged  by  the  government.  A 
tract  six  miles  from  Fort  Leavenworth  was  assigned  them 
— but  only  twenty-five  hundred  acres  and  $1600  as  an 
equivalent  for  the  twenty-four  thousand  acres  of  the  old 
agreement.  And  the  removal  was  attended  with  an  epi- 
demic of  fevers.  The  new  mission  was  placed  in  charge 
of  Smith,  who  had  previously  been  transferred  from  Indian 

1  "  Periodical  Accounts,"  vol.  xx.,  pp.  iii  seq. 


502  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  xi. 

Territory,  and  Peter  Ricksecker,  formerly  missionary  in  the 
West  Indies. 

During  this  period  New  Fairfield,  in  Ontario,  was  main- 
tained without  interruption,  though  with  repeated  changes 
in  the  missionary  force.  Necessarily  circumscribed  in 
scope,  and  confined  to  the  narrow  bounds  of  the  Reserve, 
striking  features  in  the  religious  life  of  the  place  were  not 
to  be  expected,  though  the  gradual  advance  in  civilization 
and  industry  was  gratifying. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

RECENT   DEVELOPMENT. 

The  growth  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  America  since 
the  adoption  of  the  modern  constitution  has  been,  on  the 
whole,  steady  and  consistent.  The  5300  communicant 
members  at  the  close  of  1858  have  increased  to  12,535, 
and  the  total  membership  has  risen  from  8275  to  19,497. 
Though  the  enterprise  in  New  England  did  not  attain  per- 
manence, the  last  point  held.  New  Haven,  being  abandoned 
in  1868,  success  has  attended  the  work  elsewhere,  so  that 
congregations  and  home  missions  now  exist  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, New  York,  New  Jersey,  Maryland,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota, 
North  Dakota,  North  Carolina,  and  Virginia.  During  the 
last  ten  years  special  progress  has  been  made  in  the  South. 

In  April,  1866,  "  Der  Briider  Botschafter,"  a  German 
weekly,  was  founded  at  Bethlehem,  and  since  then  two 
monthly  illustrated  children's  papers  have  been  added,  the 
"Little  Missionary"  and  "  Der  Missions  Freund."  A  new 
publication  house  was  occupied  here  in  187 1,  from  which 
have  been  issued  various  editions  of  hymnals  and  works 
characteristic  of  a  denominational  printing-office.  Its  most 
important  publication  was  given  to  the  public  in  1885,  the 
masterly  "  History  of  the  Church  Known  as  the  Unitas 
Fratrum,"  by  Bishop  Edmund  de  Schweinitz,  S.T.D.,  a 
work  invaluable  to  a  correct  understanding  of  the  rise, 
progress,  position,  and  life  of  the  Moravian  Church  before 


504  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  xii. 

1722.  The  death  of  the  author,  in  December,  1887,  iden- 
tified as  he  had  been  with  the  progress  of  affairs  since  the 
fifties,  was  felt  to  be  a  serious  loss. 

The  prosperity  of  the  educational  enterprises  has  fluct- 
uated. Although  for  a  time  hopeful  promise  attended  a 
boys'  academy  estabhshed  at  Chaska,  Minn.,  in  1864,  and 
a  young  ladies'  seminary  opened  at  Hope,  Ind.,  in  1866, 
neither  proved  permanent  successes,  the  former  being 
closed  in  1867  and  the  latter  in  1881.  During  the  years 
immediately  after  the  war  the  older  church  schools  in  the 
East  flourished;  but  the  panic  of  1873  was  severely  felt 
by  them.  Equipped  and  conducted'  as  they^  now  are  in 
accordance  with  modern  requirements,  it  is  reasonably  ex- 
pected that  the.  marked  popularity  which  has  characterized 
Salem  Female  Academy-  will  have  its  counterpart  in  the 
Northern  schools.  For  the  college  and  theological  semi- 
nary at  Bethlehem,  the  period  since  1881,  when  its  interests 
were  separated  from  the  Sustentation  Fund,  has  been  one 
of  steady  advance.  Since  1884  the  Rev.  A.  Schultze,  D.D., 
has  been  its  president.  Through  the  liberality  of  the 
membership  of  the  entire  Moravian  Church  in  America 
admirable  new  buildings  were  erected  in  1892.  The  fall 
of  1893  saw  the  consecration  of  the  Helen  Stadiger  Borhek 
Memorial  Chapel  for  its  uses,  the  gift  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ash- 
ton  C.  Borhek,  of  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  in  memory  of  their  de- 
ceased daughter.  Meantime  the  permanent  endowment 
fund  has  risen  from  about  $40,000  in  1881  to  $114,519 
in  1893. 

In  1868  the  Southern  congregations  made  overtures  for 
union  with  the  Northern,  the  separation  in   1771    having 

1  The  Moravian  Seminary  for  Young  Ladies,  at  BetMehem,  Pa.,  founded, 
1749,  reorganized,  1785.  Nazareth  Hall,  a  boarding-school  for  boys,  at  Na- 
zareth, Pa.,  established,  1759,  reorganized,  1785.  Linden  Hall  Seminary, 
a  boarding-school  for  girls,  at  Lititz,  Pa.,  founded,  1794. 

2  For  girls,  at  Salem,  N.  C,  founded,  1802. 


DECENTRALIZATION.  505 

been  made,  not  as  a  matter  of  principle,  but  owing  to  the 
uncertainties  of  communication  with  the  center  at  Bethle- 
hem. But  although  the  proposals  were  seriously  enter- 
tained, and  after  the  Northern  Synod  of  1881  it  appeared 
as  if  union  would  be  consummated,  it  ultimately  failed  of 
accomplishment.  Though  administrative  unity  was  not 
achieved,  there  exists  practical  union  in  the  joint  support 
of  the  one  theological  seminary  and  in  the  common  use  of 
the  denominational  literature  issued  from  the  publication 
house  at  Bethlehem. 

The  church  in  the  North  meanwhile  began  to  follow  its 
destiny  by  mapping  out  districts,  in  1870,  for  the  system- 
atic subdivision  of  administration.  This  was  utilized  in 
connection  with  the  adoption  of  a  more  aggressive  policy 
in  1876,  when  a  distinct  Board  of  Church  Extension,  with 
clerical  and  lay  members,  was  created  and  charged  with 
the  establishment  of  a  permanent  Church  Extension  Fund, 
auxiliary  boards  being  appointed  in  the  districts ;  and  in 
1888  it  was  carried  to  its  logical  conclusion  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  District  Synods  for  local  and  subordinate  leg- 
islation. 

At  the  Northern  Synod  of  1881,  the  Sustentation  Fund, 
whose  varied  uses  had  been  severely  taxed  in  consequence 
of  the  growth  of  the  church,  and  which  had  suffered  losses, 
was  restricted  to  future  employment  as  a  pension  fund 
only ;  and  to  meet  the  expenses  of  administrative  govern- 
ment the  principle  of  annual  congregational  assessments 
was  established,  to  be  subsequently  applied  to  the  work  of 
home  missions  also.  In  1893  the  tendency  to  decentral- 
ization was  further  developed  by  Synod,  in  providing  sep- 
arate boards  of  trustees  for  the  various  educational  insti- 
tutions. Hitherto  they  had  been  administered  by  the 
Provincial  Elders'  Conference  in  its  corporate  capacity. 
The   general  supervision   of  the  church  in  America  still 


506  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  xii. 

remains  with  these  boards  of  elders — in  the  North,  since 
1893,  the  Revs.  Edward  T.  Kluge,  Edmund  A.  Oerter,  and 
Morris  W.  Leibert,  with  their  treasurer,  the  Rev.  Robert  de 
Schweinitz,  all  of  Bethlehem,  Pa. ;  and  in  the  South,  Bishop 
Edward  Rondthaler,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  James  E.  Hall,  and 
N.  S.  Siewers,  M.D.,  of  Salem,  N.  C. 

Though  the  history  of  the  Indian  missions  in  Canada, 
Kansas,  and  Indian  Territory  presents  no  striking  features 
in  recent  times,  the  missionary  spirit  of  the  American 
Moravian  Church  was  revived  in  a  marked  degree  by  the 
inauguration  of  a  mission  among  the  Eskimos  of  western 
Alaska,  in  response  to  an  appeal  addressed  to  the  Society 
for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  at  its  annual  meeting  in  Beth- 
lehem in  1883,  by  the  Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  D.D.,  then 
a  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  The  Rev.  A.  Hartmann,  missionary  at  New  Fair- 
field, in  Ontario,  and  Mr.  William  Weinland,  a  student  of 
the  theological  seminary,  were  sent  on  a  tour  of  explora- 
tion next  year.  Via  San  Francisco  and  Ounalashka  they 
proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  the  Nushagak  and  thence 
passed  on  to  the  Kuskoquim,  up  which  they  traveled  for 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  skin  canoes,  having  as 
their  interpreter  an  agent  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany. It  was  territory  absolutely  unoccupied  by  any  evan- 
gelical church.  Hence  on  their  return  they  recommended 
the  founding  of  a  station  on  the  latter  river.  On  July  14, 
1885,  the  site  of  Bethel  was  selected  by  the  Revs.  W.  H. 
Weinland  and  John  H.  Kilbuck,  a  full-blooded  Indian, 
lineally  descended  from  Delaware  chiefs,  whose  ancestors 
had  been  converted  in  the  Forks  of  the  Delaware  in  Penn- 
sylvania, himself  as  well  as  Weinland  having  completed  a 
thorough  classical  and  theological  course.  They  and  their 
wives  were  accompanied  by  Hans  Torgersen,  a  practical 
carpenter,  who  went  with  them  for  temporary  service  in 


THE  MISSION  IN  ALASKA.  507 

connection  with  the  erection  of  buildings.  On  August 
loth  Torgersen  was  accidentally  drowned  while  sailing 
up  the  river  with  supplies,  and  the  inexperienced  young 
couples  were  left  alone  to  secure  shelter  as  best  they  could 
before  the  arctic  winter  set  in,  unable,  moreover,  to  com- 
municate intelligently  with  the  natives.  In  the  winter  of 
1886-87  Weinland's  health  so  far  failed  that  he,  with  his 
family,  left  Alaska  ;  but  in  the  summer  of  1889  he  was  able 
to  found  a  new  mission  among  the  Indians  on  the  Banning 
Reserve  in  California. 

For  the  first  year  after  his  return  Kilbuck  and  his  wife 
bravely  maintained  the  post  alone,  and  after  the  long  and 
severe  winter  had  the  satisfaction  of  gaining  the  first  con- 
vert the  next  Good  Friday,  when  an  old  man  exclaimed, 
"  Koujanah!  [Thanks!]  We  too  desire  to  have  our  bad- 
ness taken  away  by  that  blood."  Nor  was  he  the  only 
one  that  was  then  won. 

Mrs.  Kilbuck's  health  becoming  impaired  by  the  great 
hardships,  in  the  summer  of  1889  Mrs.  Bachman,  wife  of 
Bishop  Henry  T.  Bachman,  volunteered  to  give  a  year  at 
Bethel.  She  was  accompanied  by  Miss  Carrie  Detterer, 
who  went  out  as  a  permanent  laborer.  In  1891  an  offi- 
cial visit  was  paid  to  the  Kuskoquim  and  the  Nushagak 
by  Bishop  Bachman.  In  addition  to  the  six  American 
missionaries,^  there  were  in  1893  two  native  assistants,  two 
others  who  had  received  a  partial  education  at  Carlisle,  Pa., 
and  who  will  be  employed  for  the  industrial  training  of 
their  countrymen,  and  about  twenty-six  communicants. 
At  the  filial  stations  of  Kikichtagamute  and  Akaiagamute 
the  Christians  were  about  to  form  a  distinct  village  of 
their  own.  At  Ougavigamute,  the  uppermost  station,  a 
mission  house  had  been  erected  and  a  congregation  of  a 

1  Rev.  John  H.  Kilbuck  and  wife,  Rev.  B.  Helmich  and  wife,  Miss 
Mary  Mack,  and  Miss  Philippine  C.  King. 


508  THE  MORAVIANS.  [Chap.  xii. 

dozen  communicants  gathered,  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  E.  Weber.    Schools  are  conducted  here  and  at  Bethel. 

In  the  summer  of  1886  the  station  of  Carmel  was  founded 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Nushagak  and  permanently  occupied 
next  year  with  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Frank  E.  and  Mrs. 
Wolff  and  Miss  Mary  Huber.  In  1889  it  was  strengthened 
by  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Schoechert,  whose  wife, 
formerly  Lydia  Lebus,  was  previously  a  missionary  at 
Bethel,  and  in  1890  by  Miss  Emma  Huber.  Here  there 
is  an  industrial  school  with  about  twenty  pupils  and  a  con- 
gregation of  about  seventeen  communicants. 

Instead  of  weakening  the  interest  of  the  American  church 
in  the  missions  at  large  which  are  the  joint  undertaking 
of  the  three  home  provinces  of  the  Moravian  Church,  the 
Alaska  mission,  although  supported  exclusively  by  Amer- 
ica, has  served  to  deepen  and  intensify  zeal  for  evangeliza- 
tion in  all  other  parts.  Nor  has  the  life  and  vigor  of  the 
American  Moravian  congregations  ever  been  more  full  of 
hope  than  at  the  present  time. 


INDICES. 


THE    REFORMED    CHURCH,  DUTCH. 


Abeel,  Rev.  David,  199,  200,  202. 

Act  of  Toleration,  65,  95,  127. 

Acts  of  Uniformity,   65,  66. 

Agricola,  Rudolph,  6. 

A  Lasco,  John,  12. 

Albany,  26-2S,  36,  37,  39,  44,  52,  57, 

71,  76,  86,  94,  108,  109,  141. 
Alva,  Duke  of,  9,  10,  14,  15. 
American    Board    of    Commissioners 

for  Foreign  Missions,  198-201. 
American  Classis,  suggested,  42,  137; 

ordered  by  English  governor,  74 1 

by  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  137,  138  ; 

necessity  of,  148,  160;   determined 

on,  141,  144,   148,  150;   instituted, 

150,  151,  153.  157- 
Amoy  Mission,  201,  202. 
Amsterdam,    Classis   of,    24,   ^^,    76, 

81,  137,  138,  169-173. 
Amsterdam,  Free   Reformed  Univer- 
sity of,  20. 

Amsterdam  correspondence,  24,  note, 

33,  note. 
Anabaptists,  7,  39,  44,  87. 
Andros,  Governor,  72,  73,  88,  90,  119. 
Anneke  Jans,  35,  119. 
Anti-liquor  laws,  49. 
Arabian  Mission,  203. 
Arabic  Bible,  201. 
Arcot  Mission,  201,  202. 
Arminian  controversy,  16,  17. 
Articles  of  Union,  166-174,  186. 
Assembly,  General  (civil),  70,  75-79, 

82,  87,  95-108,  142-144,  154. 
Associate  Reformed  Church,  198,  209. 
Athanasian  Creed,  184. 

Austin  Friars,  church  of,  8,  12,  41. 


Baptism,  forms  of,  "J,  12,  286. 

Baptism  of  negroes,  86,  179. 

Baptism  of  Romanists,  18. 

Beggars,  League  of,  8. 

Belgic  Confession,  2,  13,  184. 

Bellomont,  Lord,  81,  82,  93,  120-122. 

Benevolent  boards,  192. 

Berean  Society,  198. 

Bertholf,  Rev.  G.,  133. 

Beverwyck.     (See  Albany.) 

Beza,  Theodore,  4,  9. 

Bishop  for  America,  69,  107,  108. 

Bishops,  177,  207. 

Board  of  Corporation,  185,  187. 

Board  of  Domestic  Missions,  193. 

Board  of  Education,  192. 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  199. 

Board  of  Publication,  192. 

Board  of  Superintendents,  192. 

Boehme,  Rev.  J.,  134,  138. 

Bogardus,    Rev.    Everardus,    32-35, 

57- 
Bondet,  Rev.  Daniel,  115. 
Borneo,  24,  200. 
Bradley,  Hon.  Joseph  P.,  190. 
Bres,  Guido  de,  13. 
Brooklyn,  41,  57,  109. 
Brotherhood  of  the  Common  Life,   6. 
Brown,  Rev.  Samuel  R.,  203. 
Bullinger,  4. 
Bushwyck,  47,  57,  77. 
Calvin,  1-4,  12. 

Campbell,  Rev.  Dr.  W.  H.,  189,  190. 
Canons  of  Dort,  2,  17,  19,  184. 
Cantine,  Rev.  James,  203. 
Carle,  Jean,  78. 
Catechetical  ordinance,  52. 


509 


5IO 


INDICES. 


Catechising,  52,  179. 
Ceylon,  24,  199,  202. 
Chamberlain,  Rev.  Jacob,  202. 
Charles  II.,  47,  54,  73,  82. 
Charter  governments,  64,  69. 
Charter  of  Liberties,   79,  82,  83,  89, 

no. 
Charter  of  the  Dutch  church  of  New 

York,  IIO-114,  122,  123,  128. 
Charter  of  Trinity  Church,  116,  120, 

124,  125. 
Charters    of   other    Dutch   churches, 

116,  125,  128,  142. 
Christian  Reformed  Church,  19,  21 1. 
Church  Building  Fund,  195. 
Church  of  England,  i,  2,  12,  17,  74, 

75.  78,  83-87,  95-97,  121,  124,  155, 

156;  not  established,  103-105,  118, 

124,  128;  assumed  to  be  established, 

106,  107,  116,  117,  124. 
Church  order,  176,  184,  185. 
Church-masters,  122,  154,  177. 
Churches  of  New  Netherland,  57. 
Classes,    2,    15,    16,    174,    176,    185- 

187.     (See  Particular  Bodies.) 
Classical  visitors,  185. 
Claude,  5. 
Cocceius,  2. 
Coetus,  135,  154,  157,  160-167,  173, 

183,  184^  186. 
College  of  New  Jersey  (Princeton), 

142,  161,  164,  168. 
Collegiate  Cliurch  of  New  York  City, 

34,  35,   71,  89,  110-116,  118,  120, 

137,   144-146,    154-157.  161,  163- 

165,  169. 
Colonization,  19,  23-28. 
Common  Prayer,   Book  of,  i,  12,  83. 
Compendium,  12,  19,  184. 
Conferentie,    155,  158,  161-167,  173, 

183,  184,  186. 
Congregationalism,  5,  24,  199,  202. 
Consistory,  2,  15,  16,  177,  205. 
Constitution  of  the  Church,  176-179, 

184. 
Constitutional  questions,  178,  185. 
Conversion,  manner  of,  17. 
Cornbury,  Lord,  120,  124-128. 
Correspondence,    18,    t,t,,    157,    168, 

178,  209. 
Corruption  of  man,  17. 
Cranmer,  i,  12. 


Creeds,  13. 

Curtenius,   Rev.  Antonius,   141,  143, 

153. 
Daill^,  Jean,  5,  77,  78,  87,  93,  115, 
Dathenus,  Peter,  12-14. 
De  Bon  Repos,  Rev.  David,  78,  109. 
De  Peyster,  Sarah,  194. 
De  Ronde,  Lambertus,  141,  143,  144, 

156,  163,  165,  166. 
Deacons,  2,  15,  177,  205. 
Dellius,  Rev.  Godfrey,  76,  80-82,  91, 

92,  107,  109,  196. 
Denton,  Rev.  Richard,  36,  44. 
Depntati  Synodi,  177,  185. 
Disabled  Ministers'  Fund,  192. 
Discipline,  177,  185. 
Dispensations,  176,  185. 
Dissenters,  64,  65,  85,  95,  104. 
Dissenting  ministry,  106,  109,  123. 
Doctrines  of  grace,  2,  17. 
Doctrines  of  the   Reformed  Church, 

1-3,  13,  16,  17,  21,  184,  206. 
Domestic  missions,  193-195. 
Domine,  34. 
Dongan,    Governor    Thomas,    77~79. 

82,  83,  85-88,  96,  no. 
Doremus,  Mrs.  T.  C.,  199. 
Dorsius,  Rev.  G.  H.,  136,  139. 
Dort,  Synods  of,  15-18. 
Doty,  Rev.  Elihu,  202. 
Doughty,  Rev.  Francis,  36,  44. 
Drisius,  Rev.  Samuel,  40-44,  47,  54- 

57.  71.  "o- 
Du  Bois,  Rev.  Dr.  Anson,  195. 
Du  Bois,  Rev.  Benjamin,  176. 
Du   Bois,   Rev.  Gualterus,   74,   136- 

138. 
Du  Bosc,  5. 
Duke's  farm,  119. 
Duke's  Laws,  66-68,  95. 
Dutch  churches  in  London,  8,  9,  12, 

41. 
Dutch  conquest  of  New  York,  70-72. 
Dutch    declaration   of   independence, 

10,  II. 
Dutch  preaching,  193,  297. 
Dutch  Republic,  11. 
Dutcli  versions  of  Bible,  6,  19. 
East  Indies,  24,  25,  40,  71,  195. 
Edict  of  Nantes,  5,  77. 
Education,  142,  188,  192. 
Edward  VI.,  1,8. 


INDICES. 


511 


Edwards,  Jonathan,  2,  155. 

Eendracht  maakt  tnacht,  10. 

Elders,  2,  15,  177,  205. 

Election,  17. 

Eliot,     Rev.    John,    37 ;   his    Indian 

Bible,  196. 
Embden,  Synod  of,  14. 
Emeriti,  177. 

English  conquest,  53-56,  63. 
English  ecclesiastical  law,  61-65,  69, 

72,  95,  96.      (See  Instructions.) 
English  preaching,  40,  74,  157,  163, 

183,  193,  207. 
English  settlers,  35,  36,  73. 
Episcopacy,    24,   69,    73,    74,   75,  78. 

(See  Church  of  England,  English 

Ecclesiastical  Law.) 
Episcopalians,  85,  115,  142,  143,  146, 

148. 
Episcopius,  17. 
Erasmus,  6. 

Erickzon,  Rev.  R.,  134,  138,  142. 
Esch,  John,  7. 
Esopus,  58,  71. 
Examination   of    students,    140,    177, 

187,  188. 
Explanatory  Articles,  176-180,  185. 
Faith,  saving,  17. 
Farel,  3. 

Faukelius,  Herman,  19. 
Federal  theology,  2. 
Federation  of  Protestants,  10,  208. 
Festival  days,  18,  179. 
Feudalism,  27,  28,  64. 
Flatbush,  41,  44,  58,  109. 
Flatlands,  41,  57. 
Fletcher,  Governor  Benjamin,  81,  93, 

97,  98,  104-107,  116,  1 18-122,  124. 
Flushing,  36. 
Foering,  Rev.  C.  F.,  176. 
Foreign  missions,  195. 
Formosa,  24. 

Fort  Orange.     (See  Albany.) 
France,     Reformed     Church    of,     4, 

23,  24.     (See  Huguenots,  French 

Churches,  etc.) 
Frederick  III.,  4. 
Freeman,  Rev.  B.,  126,  133,  136,  138, 

196. 
Frelinghuysen,  Rev.  John,  139. 
Frelinghuysen,    Rev.  Tlieodore,  139, 

140,  148,  150-153,  160. 


Frelinghuysen,     Rev.    Theodore    J., 

134-136,  138,  139- 
Frelinghuysen,   Hon.  Theodore,  189. 
French  churches  in  Boston,  78,  115. 
French  churches  in   New  York,    77> 

78,  87,  147,  173. 
French  churches  in  Wesel,  31. 
French  pastors,  78. 
French  preaching,  32,  47,  77>  l^- 
Fryenmoet,   Rev.  J.  C.,  139,  152. 
Gallican  Confession,  2,  5>  I3- 
Gansevoort,  Wessel,  6. 
Gardner  A.  Sage  Library,  192. 
Garretson,  Rev.  Dr.  John,  195. 
Gates,  Dr.  M.  E.,  189,  190. 
General    Body,    168,    174-176,    187. 

(See  Particular  Synods.) 
General   Synod,   2,    5,    16,    178,    179, 

187,  188. 
Geneva  Catechism,  14. 
German   Reformed  Church,   4,    135, 

173- 
Godparents.     (See  Sponsors.) 
Goetschius,    Rev.    J.    H.,    139,    152, 

153- 
Goetwater,  Rev.  J.  E.,  46. 
Gomar,  16. 

Gravesend,  36,  41,  44,  52,  58. 
Great  Awakening,  134. 
Great  Consistory,  177;  205. 
Groot,  Gerard,  6. 
Grotius,  Hugo,  18. 
Hackensack,  N.  J.,  47,  77,  133,  153, 

162,  163. 
Haeghoort,   Rev.  G.,  134,  137,  138, 

141,  143. 
Hardenbergh,    Rev.  J.  R.,    160,  166, 

176,  189. 
Harlem,  N.  Y.,  44,  47,  57,  77. 
Harrisburg  convention,  210. 
Harvard  College,  142. 
Hasbrouck,  Dr.  A.  B.,  189. 
Heidelberg  Catechism,  4,  12,  13,  19, 

184,  185,  206,  210. 
Helvetic  Confession,  2. 
Hempstead,  L.  I.,  36,  44,  109. 
Hertzog  Hall,  192. 
Holland  Academy,  191. 
Hommius,  Festus,  I9. 
Hope  College,  191,  192. 
Huguenots,  24,  26,  41,  75,  77,  78,  89. 

(See  France,  French  Churches.) 


512 


INDICES. 


Hymnology,  9,  18,  206. 

Incorporations,    185,  187. 

"  Independent  Reflector,"  142. 

Independents,  35,  36,  107. 

Indians,  missionaries  to,  36,  80,  107, 

108,  115,  133,  195-198. 
Instructions    (secret)  to  the  English 

governors,  68,  69,  72,  75,  78,  83, 
85,  86,  88,  95-97.  (See  English 
Ecclesiastical  Law,  Episcopacy, 
Church  of  England.) 

Jamaica,  L.  I.,  48,  104,  109,  127. 

James,  as  duke,  54,  73,  79,  82,  95. 

James  II.,  as  king,  64,  82-92,  95,  96. 

Japan,  24,  203. 

Java,  24,  199,  200. 

Jesuits,  37,  49,  51,  79,  81,  85,  87, 
107,  109. 

Jews,  87,  109. 

Joques,  Father,  37,  38. 

Jurisprudence  of  the  Dutch,  58,  66. 

Jurisprudence  of  the  English,  59,  65. 

Kieft,  William,  34-36. 

Kinderhook,  109. 

King's  (Columbia)  College,  142-150, 
152-156,  161,  164,  168. 

King's  farm,  108,  1 18-120,  142. 

Kingston,  N.  Y.,  44,  57,  74,  76,  108, 

109,  171. 

Knox,  Rev.  John,  i. 

Knox  Fund,  193. 

Kollen,  Rev.  G.  J.,  191. 

Kranken-besoeckers,  28. 

Laidlie,  Rev.  A.,  160,  163,  193. 

Leisler,  Jacob,  80,  89-94. 

Leydt,  Rev.  John,  140,  152,  157,  176. 

Lily  among  Thorns,  9. 

Linn,  Rev.  William,  180,  197. 

Liturgy,  11-13,  19,  184,  205,  206. 

Livingston,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H.,  29,  159- 

167,  176,  189,  192,  197,  209. 
Livingston,  Hon.  William,  142-148. 
Livingston  Manor,  135. 
Lord's  Supper,  3,  12,  31,  32,  96,  206. 
Lovelace,  Governor,  69,  70. 
Lutheranism,  i,  3. 
Lutherans,  39,  42-45,  147. 
Lydius,  Rev.  John,  196. 
McKemie,  Rev.  F.,  127. 
Mancius,  Rev.  G.  W.,  138. 
Mandeville,  Rev.  Dr.  G.  IL,  191. 
Marburg,  colloquy  at,  3. 


Mason,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  M.,  197. 

Megapolensis,  Rev.  John,  36,  43,  44, 
51.  57,  196. 

Megapolensis,  Rev.  Samuel,  57,  133. 

Meyer,  Rev.  H.,  157,  171,  176. 

Meynema,  Rev.  B.,  152. 

Michaelius,  Rev.  Jonas,  28-32,  57. 

Micron's  Compendium,  12,  19. 

Micron's  liturgy,  12. 

Middelburg,  Synod  of,  15,  16. 

Milledoler,  Rev.  Dr.  Philip,  189,  198. 

Miller,  Rev.  John,  106. 

Ministry,  2,  14,  15;  first  minister, 
28;  of  New  Netherland,  57;  ac- 
cessions to,  74,  75,  133-136,  142, 
173,  174,  191,  207;  French  minis- 
ters, 78  ;   disabled  ministers,  193. 

Ministry  Act,  95-108,  ill,  116,  117, 
124-128. 

Minuit,  Governor,  26,  2,Z- 

Missionary  Society  of  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church,  194. 

Missions,  193-195. 

Mohawks,  37,  38,  80,  108. 

Monthly  concert,  194,  197. 

Morgan,  Rev.  Joseph,  134. 

Morris,  Colonel  Lewis,  99,  104,  105. 

Moulinar,  Rev.  J.  J.,  78. 

Muzelius,  Rev.  F.,  138,  140. 

Name  of  the  church,  185,  186. 

Negroes,  86,  210. 

Netherlands,  Reformed  Church  of,  6. 

New  Amstel.     (See  New  Castle.) 

New  Amsterdam,  29-46,  57.  (See 
New  York. ) 

New  Brunswick,  163,  175,  191. 

New  Castle,  42,  58. 

New  Netherland,  19,  23-60. 

New  Paltz,  77,  78. 

New  Rochelle,  77,  115. 

New  Utrecht,  52,  109. 

New  York,  54,  57,  70,  77,  86,  94, 
109,  no,  115. 

New  York  "  Mercury,"  143,  147. 

New  York  Missionary  Society,  196. 

Newtown,  36,  44,  109. 

Nicene  Creed,  184. 

Nicholls,  Governor,  57,  68. 

Nicholson,  Governor,  74,  90. 

Nucella,  Rev.  J.  P.,  121. 

Qicolampadius,  3. 

Olevianus,  4. 


INDICES. 


513 


Ordinations,  133,  134,  136,  139,  140, 

142,  157,  160,  173,  174,  179. 
Pacification  of  Ghent,  10,  15. 
Paige,  Rev.  W.,  180. 
Palatinate,  4. 
Palatines,  135,  137. 
Particular  Bodies,  168,  174-176,  186, 

187.     (See  Classes.) 
Particular  Synods,  2, 16, 177-179,188. 

(See  General  Body.) 
Passaic,  N.  J.,  47. 
Pastoral  visitation,  179. 
Patriotism,  175,  176,  205. 
Patroons,  27,  37. 
Peiret,  Rev.  P.,  78,  109,  115. 
Perry,  Bishop,  118. 
Persecutions,  7-10,  18,  43-48. 
Perseverance  of  the  saints,  17. 
Phelps,  Rev.  Dr.  P.,  191. 
Philip  II.,  7-11,  13,  16. 
Pistorius,  7. 

Plan  of  Union,  161,  164-167,  173. 
Pohlman,  Rev.  W.  J.,  202. 
Polanus,  12. 

Polhemus,  Rev.  J.  T.,  41,  44,  47,  71. 
Polity  of    Reformed   Church,   2,    13- 

16,  18,  19. 
Pool,  Rev.  Dr.  Charles,  195. 
Post-Acta,  18,  19. 
Prayer,  12. 
Preaching,  185,  206. 
Presbyterian  Church,  proposed  union 

with,  139,  209,  210. 
Presbyterian  Church,  South,  205,  210. 
Presbyterian  cliurch,  the  first,  36. 
Presbyterian  missions,  196-198,  202, 

203. 
Presbyterianism,  i,  2,  14-16,  23,  24, 

44,  75,  85,  104,  107,  109,  123,  124, 

142,  147,    159,  161,  164,  196,  198, 

209,  210. 
Professor  of   divinity.      (See   King's 

College,  Queen's  College.) 
Professorate,  169,  175. 
Professorial  certificate,  180. 
Professors  of   theology,    2,    18,    144- 

150,    154-156,    160-162,  169,  175- 

177,  192. 
Proprietary  government,  64. 
Protestantism,  10,  90,  209. 
Publication,  Board  of,  193. 
Puritans,  i,  39,  44,  47. 


Quakers,  48,  87. 

Queen's  College,  148,  150,  157,  160- 

168,  175,  189,  210.     (See  Rutgers 

College. ) 
Queen's  farm,  119. 
Raymond,  Rev.  H.  V.  V.,  191. 
Redemption,  17. 
Reformed     Church    of     the     United 

States  (German),  23,  24,  135,  139, 

163,  173,  210. 
Reformed  churches  in  Europe,  1-20, 

209. 
Remonstrants,  17,  18. 
Rensselaerwyck.      (See  Albany.) 
Revival,  133,  134,  142. 
Revolution,    175,  176,   184,  189,  196. 
Ritzema,    Rev.  John,    139-157,    161, 

163. 
Rochelle,  Confession  of,  5. 
Rodgers,  Rev.  John,  197. 
Roelandsen,  Adam,  2i2>- 
Roman  Catholics,  37,  39,  51,  79,  80, 

85,    87,    89,    90,    95,    209.     (See 

Jesuits.) 
Romeyn,  Rev.  Dirck,  176,  191. 
Romeyn,  Rev.  Thomas,  152. 
Rou,  Rev.  Louis,  78. 
Rubel,  Rev.  J.  C,  176. 
Rutgers,  Colonel  Henry,  189. 
Rutgers  College,  162,  188-194.     (See 

Queen's  College.) 
Rye,  N.  Y.,  77. 

Rysdyck,    Rev.  Isaac,  161,  165,  166. 
Sabbath,  18,  40,  49. 
Saratoga,  85,  195. 

Saumur,  school  of,  2,  5,  77,  78,  115. 
Schaats,  Rev.  Gideon,  44,  52,  57,  71, 

73,  74,  76,  80,  196. 
Schenectady,  76,  89,  94,  109. 
Schermerhorn,  Rev.  J.  F.,  194. 
Schlatter,  Rev.  Michael,  153. 
Schoolmasters,  28,  7,2,,  41,  45,  84,  96, 

177- 
Schuneman,  Rev.  John,  152,  176. 
Schuyler,   Rev.  John,    134,  138,  142, 

153- 
Schuyler,  Peter,  81. 
Scotland,  Church  of,  4. 
Scott,  Dr.  Austin,  189,  190. 
Scott,  Rev.  Dr.  Charles,  191. 
Scudder,  Rev.  Dr.  John,  198-202. 
Secession,  from  the  Church  of  Hoi- 


514 


INDICES. 


land,    19;  from   the   Coetus,    133, 

141,  143  ;   from   Reformed  Church 
in  America,  211. 

Selyns,  Rev.  Henry,  51,  57,  75-77, 
^7'  91-93)  109.  III.  121,  122. 

Simons,  Menno,  7. 

Slavery,  52,  86,  179. 

Sloughter,  Governor,  80,  93,  95-97. 

Smith,  Rev.  Eli,  201. 

Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
(English),  128,  133,  196. 

Society  of  Inquiry,  198. 

Sponsors,  179. 

Staten  Island,  44,  47,  57,  77,  78,  109. 

Statistics,    109,    no,    124,    136,    139, 

142,  173,  180,  207. 
Stuyvesant,  Peter,  40-45. 
Subscriptions  to  standards,  15,  16,  18, 

176. 
Swiss  Reformed,  i,  3,  23,  24,  135. 
Synod  (the  old  provisional),  174,  176, 

179. 
Syria,  200. 

Talmage,  Rev.  Dr.  Goyn,  195. 
Talmage,  Rev.  Dr.  John  V.  N.,  202. 
Tappan,  140. 

Tesschenmaeker,  Rev.  P.,  74,  76,  94. 
Test  Acts,  66,  95,  96. 
Tetard,  Rev.  J.  P.,  78. 
Theological  seminaries,  191,  192. 
Thirty-nine  Articles,  i,  2. 
Toleration,    5,   8,    15,  18,   42-47,   49, 

67,   71,  72,  79,  80,  85,  88,  89,  95, 

96,  105,  127. 
Trent,  Council  of,  8. 
Trinity  Church,  81,  103,  116-121,  124, 

143- 
True    Reformed  Dutch  Church,   20, 

211,  212. 
Trustees,  205. 
Uniformity,  95. 
Union  College,  191. 
Union  convention,  165. 
Union  of  churches,  139,  208-211. 
Union  of  Utrecht,  10,  26. 
United  Missionary  Society,  198,  199. 
University  of  Leyden,  15. 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  142. 
University  of  Utrecht,  175. 
Ursinus,  4. 


Van  Bunschoten  Fund,  193. 

Van  Driessen,  Rev.  J.,  134,  137,  138. 

Van  Dyck,  Rev.  C.  V.  A.,  200. 

Van  Gaasbeek,  Rev.  L.,  74. 

Van  Nieuwenhuysen,    Rev.  William, 

70,  73-75- 
Van  Rensselaer,  K.,  28,  134. 
Van  Rensselaer,  Rev.  N.,  73. 
Van  .Santvoord,  Rev.  C,  136,  138. 
Van  Sinderin,  Rev.  V.,  152. 
Van  Twiller,  Governor,  119. 
Van  Vlierden,  Rev.  P.,  180. 
Van  Zuuren,  Rev.  C,  74,  76. 
Vandenbosch,  Rev.  L.,  78. 
Vanderlinde,  Rev.  B.,  140,  141,  143. 
Varick,  Rev.  R.,  92,  109. 
Vaudois,  the,  41. 
Verbeck,  Rev.  G.  F.,  203. 
Verbryck,    Rev.    S.,    140,    142,    152, 

166. 
Vermilye,  Rev.  Dr.  A.  G.,  94. 
Vcsey,  Rev.  Mr.,  81,  109,  121. 
\'isitation  of  churches,  18,  177,  178, 

185. 
Visitation  of  the  sick,  19. 
Voes,  Henry,  7. 
Vrooman,  Rev.  B.,  152. 
Waldenses,  the,  47. 
Walloons,  10,  12-14,  26,  31,  77,  138. 
"  Watch-Tower,  The,"  147. 
Weekstein,  Rev.  J.,  76. 
Wesel,  Synod  of,  12,  14. 
West,  Rev.  Dr.  Jacob,  95. 
West  India  Company,  19,  25,  40,  42, 

53,  57,  60,  69,  71,  119. 
West  Indies,  24. 

Westerlo,  Rev.  E.,  165-167,  176. 
Western  Theological  Seminary,  132. 
Westminster  Confession,  2. 
Whitefield,  Rev.  G.,  135. 
Widows'  Fund,  174,  192. 
William  of  Orange,  9,  10. 
William  III.,  88,  90-96,  209. 
Witsius,  H.,  2,  209. 
Woman's  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 

199,  201. 
Yale  College,  134,  142,  159. 
Zwemer,  Rev.  P.  J.,  203. 
Zwemer,  Rev.  S.  W.,  203. 
Zwingli,  I,  3. 


INDICES. 


515 


THE    REFORMED    CHURCH,  GERMAN. 


A  Lasco,  John,  226. 

Aintab,  Syria,  395. 

Alexander,  A.,  363. 

American  Board,  394. 

Amsterdam,  Classis  of,  266,  285. 

Amwell,  270,  327. 

Andrew  and   Philip,  Brotherhood  of, 

419. 
Anne,  Queen,  238. 
Antes,  Henry,  248,  271,  275,  277. 
Anxious-bench  controversy,  370. 
Appel,  Theodore,  398. 
Apple,  Thomas  G.,  398. 
Asbury,  Francis,  308,  311. 
Augsburg,  Diet  of,  226. 
Augsburg  Confession,  225. 
Baltimore,  305,  342. 
Bartholomreus,  D.,  282. 
Bausman,  B.,  398. 
Bechtel,  John,  273. 
Becker,  C.  L.,  295,  334. 
Becker,  J.  C,  350,  360. 
Beecher,  J.  C,  355. 
Beissel,  Conrad,  259  seq.,  299. 
Belgic  Confession,  230,  343. 
Bentheim,  232. 
Berg,  Joseph  F.,  375. 
Bethmann-HoUvveg,  380. 
Blenheim,  238. 
Blumer,  Abraham,  2>2i2)i  2)Z^- 
Boehm,  John    Philip,   247  seq.,   266, 

274,  281,  284. 
Boehme,  C.  L.,  338. 
Boehringer,  E.,  400. 
Boel,  Henricus,  249. 
Boger,  George,  329. 
Bomberger,  J.  H.  A.,  398,  414,  419. 
Bossard,  Jacob,  404. 
Brandenburg,  227;  Louisa  Henrietta 

of,  239. 
Brandmiller,  J.,  275. 
Bremen,  227,  230. 
Broosa,  Asia  Minor,  395. 
Brown,  J.,  328. 
Brownson,  O.  A.,  377. 
Bucher,  J.  C,  355. 
Buettner,  J.  G.,  385. 
Bullinger,  H.,  222. 
Burmann,  231. 


Calvin,  221,  223,  336. 

Calvin  College,  406,  419. 

Carlisle,  351. 

Catawba  College,  395,  419. 

Centennial  celebrations,  367,  420. 

Central  Synod,  406. 

Chambersburg,  burning  of,  390. 

Charity  schools,  285. 

Christian  Endeavor,  419. 

"  Christian  World,"  391. 

Christman,  Jacob,  335,  382. 

Classis,  336. 

Cocceius,  231. 

Coetus,  281,  290  seq.,  297,  314  seq., 

320. 
Comingoe,  B.  R.,  326. 
Congregation  of  God  in  the  Spirit,  273. 
Congregational  organization,  265. 
Consensus  Tigitriniis,  223. 
Consistory,  265. 
Corpus  Evangeliciiiii,  319. 
Cultus,  411. 
Daub,  Carl,  358. 
Davenport,  James,  299. 
De  Witt,  Thomas,  398. 
Dechant,  J.  W.,  382. 
Descombes,  J.,  383. 
Dickinson  College,  351. 
"  Directory  of  Worship,"  415. 
Dordrecht  (Dort),  Synod  of,  230,  268, 

343- 
Dorstius,  P.  H.,  279,  280,  281. 
Du  Bois,  G.,  249. 
Dunkers,  260. 
Dutch    Reformed   Church,   234,   279, 

327,  343,  417. 
Ebrard,  J.  H.  A.,  387,  398. 
Egypt  church,  250,  252. 
Elberfeld,  373,  374. 
Ephrata,  259. 
Esopus,  258. 
Eugene,  Prince,  258. 
Evangelical  Church  Union,  231. 
"  Evangelical  Reformed,"  265,  330. 
Faber,  J.  C,  306. 
Faber,  J.  T.,  Jr.,  335. 
Falckner's  Swamp,  246,  247,  249,  266, 

282. 
Farel,  W.,  223. 


5i6 


INDICES. 


Faust,  B.,  383. 

Fisher,  S.  R.,  361,  390,  392. 

Frankenfeld,  Theodore,  285. 

Frankenthal,  228. 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  320. 

Franklin  College,  320. 

Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  380, 

419. 
Frederick,  Md.,  347. 
Frederick  III.,  Elector,  225  seq.,  247, 

248,  264. 
Free  Synod,  348. 
Freeze,  A.  P.,  386. 
General  Synod,  401,  416,  422. 
Geneva,  222,  223. 
Gerhart,   Emanuel  V.,  368,  380,  386, 

399.  403- 
German  Publishing  House,  391. 
German  Synod  of  the  East,  406. 
Germantown,  234,  245,  378. 
Gobrecht,  J.  C,  334. 
Gock,  Carl,  349. 
Goets'chius,  J.  H.,  250. 
Goetschius,  M.,  251. 
Good,  J.  H.,  386,  391. 
Goshenhoppen,  250,  257. 
Gros,  J.  D.,  294,  325,  ZZZ- 
Gruber,  J.  A.,  272. 
Gueting,  G.  A.,  310. 
Guldin,  John  C,  348. 
Guldin,  Samuel,  245. 
Plager,  J.  F.,  244. 
Hanau,  227. 
Harbaugh,    Henry,    349,    379,    380, 

396,  398- 
Hauck,  W.,  329. 
Hegel,  358. 

Heidelberg,  city  of,  228,  237,  255. 
Heidelberg  Catechism,  226,  230,  266, 

269,  ZZZ,  376,  384,  397,  399,  404, 

423- 

Heidelberg  College,  Ohio,  386,  419. 
Helflfenstein,  Albert,  Jr.,  362. 
HelfTenstein,  J.  C.  A.,  295,  315. 
HelfTenstein,  Jonathan,  349. 
HelfTenstein,  Samuel,  340,  350,  390, 

393- 
HelfTrich,  J.  H.,  zt,t,- 
HelfTrich,  John,  335. 
Helmuth,  J.  C.  A.,  319. 
Hendel,  William,  294,  307,  310,  315, 

319.  323- 


Hendel,  William,  Jr.,  Z7>7,>  34^,  349. 

393- 
Henop,  F.  L.,  310. 
Hering,  Archbishop,  286. 
Herkimer,  General  N.,  314. 
Herman,  F.  L.,  334,  338,  347. 
Herzog,  J.  J.,  398. 
Hesse,  227. 
Hessians,  315. 
Higbee,  E.  E.,  380. 
Hinsch,  L.  L. ,  334. 
Hochreutiner,  J.  J.,  282. 
Hodge,  Charles,  376. 
Hoeger,  Henry,  244. 
Hoflfeditz,  Theodore,  371. 
HofTmeier,  J.  H.,  334. 
Holland,  227,  237,  249,  278,  283,  291, 

316,  322. 
Huguenots,  228,  301. 
Hundeshagen,  C.  H.,  398. 
Hungarian  mission,  419. 
Hussites,  227. 
Hutchins,  Joseph,  322. 
Hymn-books,  332,  41 1. 
Independents,  296. 
Indian  mission,  407. 
Interior,  Synod  of  the,  407. 
Jablonsky,  Bishop,  273. 
Japan,  408. 
Juda,  Leo,  222. 
Kern,  J.  M.,  316. 
Kieffer,  M.,  386,  390. 
"  Kirchenfreund,"  376. 
"  Kirchenzeitung, "  390. 
Klein,  J.  H.,  403. 
Krummacher,  F.  W.,  371. 
Kurtz,  H.  W.,  405. 
La  Rose,  J.  J.,  335,  382. 
Labadie,  Jean  de,  231. 
Lampe,  F.  A.,  231,  233. 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  253,  324,  380. 
Lebanon,  N.  J.,  327. 
Lebanon,  Pa.,  253. 
Leidich,  J.  P.,  282. 
Lippe,  227,  404. 
Lischy,  Jacob,  276. 
Liturgy,  396,  412  seq. 
Livingston,  J.  H.,  327,  343. 
Lohr,  Oscar,  395. 
Loretz,  Andrew,  325,  329. 
I>ouis  VI.,  Elector,  229. 
Louis  XIV.  of  France,  237. 


INDICES. 


517 


Luther,  224. 

Lutheran  Church,  229,  274,  317,  344. 

Mahnenschmidt,  J.  P.,  382. 

Mann,  John,  ZTtZ- 

Mannheim,  237. 

Marlborough,  238. 

Marshall,  John,  358. 

Marshall  College,  358,  380. 

Maxatawny,  348. 

Mayer,  Jacob,  356. 

Mayer,  Lewis,  341,  349,  351  seq.,Zl^, 

389,  412. 
"  Mayer  Liturgy,"  412. 
Melac,  237. 
Melanchthon,  224. 
Melsheimer,  F.  W.,  320. 
Mercersburg,  356,  357  seq. 
"  Mercersburg  Review,"  377,  420. 
Mercersburg  theology,  378. 
"  Messenger,"  the,  391,  420. 
Milledoler,  Philip,  346,  347,  349. 
Miller,  J.  Peter,  258  srij. 
Minuit,  Peter,  233. 
Mission  House,  404,  419. 
Missions,  foreign,  394,  408. 
Missions,  home,  394,  408. 
Moravian  Church,  273. 
Muehlmeier,  H.  A.,   404. 
Muhlenberg,  H.  E.,  319. 
Muhlenberg,  H.  M.,  283. 
Miiller,  Julius,  372. 
"  Mystical  presence,"  376. 
Nantes,  Edict  of,  228. 
Neander,  J.  A.  W.,  363,  372. 
Neander,  Joachim,  230,  ^;i^. 
Neshaminy,  246. 

Nevin,  John  W.,  361  si'i/.,  398,  401. 
New  Berne,  244. 
New  Castle,  234. 
New  measures,  345. 
New  Netherland,  233. 
New  Sweden,  234. 
New  York,  325. 

North  Carolina,  314,  325,  328,  395. 
Northwest,  vSynod  of  the,  406. 
Nova  Scotia,  326. 
Ockersdorf,  305. 
CEcolampadius,  222. 
Ohio,  Synod  of,  382. 
Olevianus,  226. 
Oley,  245,  250,  272. 
Order  of  the  Solitary,  259. 


"  Order  of  Worship,"  414. 
Organs,  230. 
Orphans'  homes,  400. 
Otterbein,  P.  W.,  285,  293,  305-313. 
Palatinate,  224,  229,  235,  253 ;   inva- 
sion of  the,  237. 
Palatinate  Liturgy,  230,  410. 
Palatines,  238  seq. 
Parochial  schools,  242. 
Pastorius,  F.  D.,  234. 
Pauli,  P.  R.,  333- 
Peace  Commission,  415. 
Peirson,  LydiaJ.,  367. 
Pence,  John,  383. 
Penn,  William,  234  si'q. 
Philadelphia,  249,  256,  324,  339. 
Philipism,  224. 
Pietism,  230,  293,  304,  312. 
Pittsburg,  325,  401. 
Pittsburg,  Synod  of,  406. 
Pomp,  Nicholas,  294,  323. 
Pomp,  Thomas,  335,  359. 
Porter,  Thomas  C,  398.        • 
Potomac  Synod,  406. 
Potsdam,  Edict  of,  228. 
Presbyterian  Church,  279,  343. 
Provisional  Liturgy,  413. 
Psalmody,  230. 
Rauch,  C.  H.,  275. 
Rauch,   Frederick  A.,  355,  357  seq., 

364-368. 
Reading,  convention  at,  401. 
Reforniirter  Bund,  232. 
Reiff,  Jacob,  256,  280. 
Reily,  James  R.,  349,  353  seq. 
Rieger,  J.  B.,  257,  261,  281. 
Rubel,  J.  C,  285. 
Ruetenik,  IL  J.,  405. 
Russell,  G.  B.,  398. 
Rust,  Herman,  386. 
Saur,  Christopher,  242,  332. 
Savannah,  Ga.,  301. 
Schaff,  Philip,  372-376,  378,  396,  413. 
Schlatter,  Michael,  2-j%  seq.,  315. 
Schleiermacher,  368. 
Schneck,  B.  S.,  361,  367,  390,  398. 
Schneider,  Benjamin,  394. 
Schwope,  Benedict,  306. 
Sendai,  408. 
Skippack  church,  246,  248,  249,  256, 

266. 
Smaltz,  John  H.,  362. 


5i8 


INDICES. 


South  Carolina,  318,  329. 

Spangenberg,  272. 

Spener,  1*.  J.,  231. 

Steiner,  J.  C.,  284,  291. 

Steiner,  L.  H.,  398. 

Stern,  Max,  403. 

Steuben,  314. 

Stilling,  317. 

Stoy,  W.,  285,  292. 

Sunday-schools,  344,  420. 

Switzerland,  237. 

Synod  of  the  United  States,  324  seq. 

"  Synodalordnung,"  323,  330. 

Tempelman,  C,  253. 

Tercentenary  celebration,  396,  398  jiv/. 

Tersteegen,  G.,  230. 

Theological  seminaries,  352,  419. 

Theus,  Christian,  329. 

Tiffin,  O.,  386. 

Tohoku  Gakuin,  408. 

Triennial  Convention,  387,  397. 

Tulpehocken,  250,  253,  259. 

Union  (;liurches,  318,  330. 

United  Brethren  in  Christ,  312. 

Untereyck,  Theodore,  231. 

Ursinus,  Z.,  225. 

Ursinus  College,  418. 

Van  der  Sloot,  F.  W.,  341. 

Van  Vlecq,  P.,  246. 

Viretus,  P.,  223. 

Virginia,  244,  325,  328. 

Vitringa,  C,  231. 

Wack,  Casper,  327,  338,  393. 

Wagner,  Daniel,  t,t,t,. 

Waldenses,  227. 

Waldoborough,  326. 

Waldschmidt,  J.,  285. 

\Yallauer,  George,  307. 

Weber,  J.  W.,  325. 


Weikel,  J.  H.,  315. 

Weimer,  Jacob,  310. 

Weiser,  Conrad,  244,  262. 

Weiss,    George    Michael,    248,    249, 

255  seq.,  281. 
IVeisseichciiland,  253. 
Wesley,  John,  239,  308. 
Westphalia,  Treaty  of,  236. 
Western  Liturgy,  414. 
"  Western  Missionary,"  391. 
Weyberg,  C.  D.,  294,  315,  319. 
Weyberg,  Samuel,  335,  382. 
White  Marsh  church,  247,  248,  249, 

266. 
Whitefield,  George,  272,  298. 
Whitpain,  280. 
Widows'  fund,  393. 
Wiegner,  Christopher,  272. 
Williamson,  Hugh,  362. 
Williard,  G.  W.,  379,  386. 
Willy,  B.,  325. 
Winckhaus,  J.  H.,  325. 
Winebrenner,  John,  350. 
Winters,  David,  383. 
Wirtz,  J.  C,  251. 
Wissler,  J.  J.,  285. 
Witsius,  II.,  231. 
Wolff,  B.  C,  349,  380,  398. 
Women's  missionary  societies,  419. 
Worms,  city  of,  228,  237. 
York,  Pa.,  252,  255. 
Young,  Daniel,  355. 
Zacharias,  Daniel,  390. 
Zahner,  J.  G.,  402. 
Zinzendorf,  273  seq. 
Zollikofer,  C,  2>ZZ- 
Zubly,  J.  J.,  297-303,  338. 
Zurich,  222,  252. 
Zwingli,  Ulrich,  222,  224,  336. 


THE    MORAVIANS. 


Adams,  Samuel,  512. 
Akaiagamute,  507. 
Alaska,  mission  in,  506-508. 
Albion,  492. 

Allen,  William,  441,  442. 
Antes,    Henry,  444,   447,    452, 
459,  460. 


454, 


Antigua,  474. 

Aquanshicola,  450. 

"  Associated  Brethren  of  Skippack," 

the,  444,  447. 
Attleborough,  493. 
Augustus  the  Brave,  434. 
Bachman,  Bishop  H.  T.,  507. 


INDICES. 


519 


Bachinan,  Mrs.,  507. 

Bahnson,    Bishop  George   Frederick, 

490,  500. 
Banishment  of  Zinzendorf,  443. 
Banning  Reserve,  Cal.,  the,  507. 
Barbuda,  474. 

Barren  Fork  of  the  Illinois,  499. 
Barstow,  Charles,  492. 
Bartholomew  County,  Ind.,  497. 
Basel,  Compactata  of,  431. 
Basel,  Council  of,  432. 
Beattie's  Prairie,  499. 
Bechtel,  John,  444,  447,  452. 
Beckler,  John  C,  477. 
Beersheba,  476,  487. 
Beier,  Andrew,  453. 
Beier  family,  433. 
Bensel,  George,  444,  463. 
Benzien,  Lewis,  477. 
Berlin,  443. 

Berthelsdorf,  434,  436,  437,  439,  467. 
Bertolet,  John,  444. 
Bethabara,  461. 
Bethany,  462. 
Bethel,  506,  507,  508. 
Bethlehem,  442,  447,  450,  451,  456, 

461,  468,  472,  488,  494,  496,  497, 

505- 
Bethlehem    Female    Seminary,    note, 

504- 
Bigler,  Bishop  David,  490,  493. 
BischofT,  David,  484. 
Bishop,  Gilbert,  499,  500. 
Blech,  Charles,  488. 
Blickensderfer,  Jacob,  487. 
Blue  Mountains,  the,  450,  461,  463. 
Blunt,  General,  500. 
Board  of  Administrators,  463. 
Board  of  Church  Extension,  505. 
Board  of  Directors,  464,  465. 
Bohemia,  431,  432,  433. 
Bohler,    Peter,    440,    441,    442,    450, 

451,  460,  461. 
Bohme,  448. 
Bomper,  Abraham,  454. 
Bonisch,  George,  439,  440,  444. 
Borhek  Memorial  Chapel,  the  Helen 

Stadiger,  504. 
Bradacius,  Michael,  432. 
Brandmiiller,  452. 

"  Brethren's  Houses  "  abolished,  486. 
Brickenstein,  John  C,  497. 


Broadbay,  Me.,  453. 

Brooklyn,  492. 

Brosing,  470. 

"  Brother  Joseph,"  453. 

Brotherly  Agreement,  473. 

Brownfield,  John,  454. 

Bruce,  David,  452,  453,  463. 

"  Briider  Botschafter,"  503. 

"  Briiderblatt,"  497. 

Bryzelius,  452,  453. 

Biidingen,  457. 

Biininger,  Abraham,  488. 

Burghardt,  Christian,  482. 

Burnside,  453. 

Biittner,  Gottlieb,  449. 

Byhan,  Gottlieb,  482,  498. 

Camden,  N.  J.,  493. 

Camden  Valley,  487. 

Cammerhof,  Bishop,  454,  457. 

Canaan,  499,  500. 

Carlisle,  Pa.,  507. 

Carmel,  507. 

Carolina,  453. 

Catawbas,  482. 

Centreville,  N.  J.,  493. 

Chaska,  493,  504. 

Cherokees,  449,  482,  484,  485,  498, 

500,  501. 
Chickasaws,  482. 
Christiansbrunn,  487.  • 
Church  property,  469. 
Church  publications,   484,   491,    494, 

497.  503- 
Church  schools,  504. 
Clauder,  Henry  G.,  498. 
Coatesville,  492. 
Comenius,  432. 
Conference  of  ministers  at  Bethlehem, 

1847,  489. 
Creeks,  439,  482. 
Cunow,  John  Gebhard,  477. 
Cuyahoga,  481. 
David,  Christian,  433,  435,  436,  438, 

457- 
Delawares,  479,  491. 
Demuth,  Gotthard,  440. 
Denke,  484. 

Denmark,  King  Christian  VI.  of,  446. 
Denny,  Governor,  462. 
Depere,  492. 
Detroit,  479,  483,  501. 
Detterer,  J.  J.,  493. 


520 


INDICES. 


Diaspora,  the,  447,  492. 

District  Synods,  505. 

Dober,  Leonard,  438. 

Donegal,  Pa.,  497. 

Dover,  O.,  498. 

Dresden,  434,  437. 

Dupp,  Governor,  461. 

Diirninger  &  Co.,  Abraham,  487. 

East  Prussia,  432. 

Easton,  462. 

Ebenezer,  Wis.,  493. 

Ebersdorf,  435. 

"  Economy,"  the,  454,  464,  466. 

Education  Diacony,  496. 

Edwards,  481. 

Egypt,  460. 

Enon,  Ind.,  498. 

Enten,  Theobalc;  447. 

Ephrata,  464. 

Erdman,  Martm  A.,  493. 

Eschenbach,  Andrew,  441. 

Eskimos,  506. 

Ettwein,  Bishop  John,  468,  472,  474, 

475.  477,  48I;  _ 
Evangelistic  activity,  452. 
Fairfield,  482,  483. 
Fanaticism,  temporary,  457. 
Ferdinand  I.,  432. 
Fett,  John  Frederick,  492. 
Foot-washing  abolished,  rite  of,  486. 
Forestier,  Charles  de,  477. 
"  Forks  of  the  Delaware,"  the,  441. 
Fort  Howard,  492. 
Fort  Leavenworth,  501. 
Fox  River,  492. 
Francke,  434,  436. 
Frankfort-on-the-Main,  44 1,  443. 
Frederick  County,  Md.,  453. 
Frederick  Township,  Pa.,  447. 
Frederick  William  L,  438,  443. 
Fredericktown,  451. 
Frey,  Andrew,  444. 
Frey,  Henry,  444. 
Frey,  William,  444. 
Friedl:)erg,  470. 
Friedenshiitten,  470,  471. 
Friedland,  470. 
Fries,  John  Jacob,  461. 
Frohlich,  Christian,  453. 
Friiauff,  Eugene  A.,  495. 
Gambold,  452. 
Gapp,  Philip  11.,  492. 


General  Synod  of  1 764,  467. 
"  "       "    1769,  468. 

"  "  1782,  474- 
"     "   "  1801,  477. 

"   "  1818,  486. 

"      "   i857>  494,  495- 
Georgia,  438,  439,  441,  453,  468,  482, 

485,  498. 
German  Evangelical  Alliance,  a,  445. 
Germantown,  441,  447,  451. 
Gersdorf,  Charlotta  Justina  von,  434. 
Gersdorf,  Henrietta  von,  434,  435. 
Geyer,  William,  493. 
Gnadenhiitten,  O.,  471,  476,  480,  487. 
Gnadenhiitten-on-the-Mahoning,  461, 

462,  487. 
Gnadenthal,  487. 
Goepp,  Philip  H.,  491,  494. 
Goschgoschiink,  470. 
Goshen,  Ind.,  487. 
Goshen,  O.,  476,  481,  487. 
Granville,  Lord,  460. 
Grassmann  family,  433. 
Green,  Samuel,  470. 
Green  Bay,  Wis.,  492. 
Greenland,  438. 
Greenville,  N.  J.,  493. 
Gregor,  Christian,  469. 
Greifswald,  438. 
Gross  Hennersdorf,  434. 
Grube,  Bernard  Adam,  461. 
Gruber,  John  A.,  444. 
Giinther,  Ulrich,  493. 
Habcrecht,  Gottfried,  490. 
Haberland,  George,  490. 
Plaberland,  Michael,  440. 
Habersham,  470. 
Haga,  Godfrey,  485. 
Hagen,  John,  463. 
Hall,  James  E.,  506. 
Halle,' 434,  436,  448. 
Hancock,  472. 
Harrison,  General,  483. 
Hartmann,  A.,  506. 
Hauser,  Martin,  487,  488,  492. 
Haven,  482. 
Hazelius,  Ernst,  477. 
Hebron,  451. 

Heckewelder,  John,  471,  476. 
Hehl,  P.ishop,  460,  461,  484. 
Heidelberg,  451. 
Heitz,  435. 


INDICES. 


521 


Helmich,  B.,  507. 

Henry,  William,  476. 

Hermann,  Bishop  John  G.,  500. 

Ilerrnhut,  436,  437,  439,  467. 

Hicks,  Abraham,  498. 

"  Hidden  Seed,"  the,  433. 

Hirschberg,  Synod  of,  459. 

"  History  of  the  Churcli  Known  as 
the  Unitas  Fratruni,"  by  Bishop 
Edmund    de    Schweinitz,    S.T.  D., 

503- 

Holland,  443. 

Holland,  John  F.,  482. 

Home  Mission  Board,  494. 

Home  Missionary  Society  of  Beth- 
lehem, 491. 

Hope,  Ind.,  487,  504. 

Hope,  N.  J.,  470,  480,  487. 

Hopedale,  488. 

Horsefield,  Timothy,  454,  460. 

Huber,  Emma,  508. 

Huber,  Mary,  507. 

Hiibner,  Louis,  476. 

Hussey,  Robert,  453. 

Illinois,  503. 

Indian  Territory,  500. 

Indiana,  503. 

Indians,  missions  among  the,  445, 
450,  451,  460,  461,  462,  463,  460, 
470,  471,  476,  479-485,  498-502, 
506,  507. 

Iowa,  503. 

Irpquois,  450,  457,  471,  480. 

Itinerants,  452. 

Iverson,  Andrew  M.,  492. 

Jablonski,  Bisho]->,  437,  438. 

Jackson,  Dr.  Sheldon,  506. 

Jacobson,  Bishop  John  C,  490,  491, 
494. 

Jaschke  family,  433. 

Jordan,  Francis,  494. 

Joshua,  482. 

Jung,  484. 

Kaltenbrunn,  John  G.,  492. 

Kampmann,  Lewis  F.,  495,  497. 

Kansas,  503. 

Kansas  City,  501- 

Kikichtaganiute,  507. 

Kilbuck,  John  H.,  506,  507. 

Kilian,  F.  J.,  493. 

King,  Philippine  C,  507. 

Klein,  George,  461. 


Kluge,  Charles  Frederick,  490. 

Kluge,  Edward  T.,  505. 

Kluge,  John  Peter,  481. 

Kroweskowee,  499. 

Kunwalde,  436. 

Kunz  family,  433. 

Kuskoquim,  506. 

Kutschera  family,  433. 

Lake  Mills,  Wis.,  593. 

Lancaster,  451. 

Lapland,  438. 

Laurens,  Henry,  472. 

Lawatsch,  Anton,  452,  454,  460. 

Lawunakhanuck,  471. 

Lebus,  Lydia,  508. 

Lehigh,  442. 

Leibert,  Morris  W.,  505. 

Lembke,  F.  C,  466. 

Lhota,  431. 

Lichtenau,  471. 

Linden  Hall  Seminary,  note,  504. 

Lischy,  Jacob,  452,  453. 

Lissa,  432,  436. 

Lititz,  Bohemia,  431. 

Lititz,  Pa.,  461,  472,  496. 

"  Little  Missionary,"  the,  503. 

Livonia,  443. 

Lobau,  435. 

London,  442,  443,  479,  480. 

Loretz,  John,  469. 

I^osch,  Hermann,  460. 

Losch,  Jacob,  461. 

Loskiel,  Bishop  George  Henry,  477, 

478. 
Luckenbach,  Abraham,  481. 
Lusatia,  434,  436,  456. 
Luther,  432. 

Lutherans,  444,  446,  448. 
Machwihilusing,  470. 
Mack,  Edwin  J.,  499,  500,  501. 
Mack,  Martin,  463. 
Mack,  Mary,  507. 
Marche,  435. 
Marienborn,     441,     446,     457,     466, 

468. 
Marriage  by  lot  abolished,  486. 
Marschall,    Frederick    William    von, 

464,  468,  477. 
Maryland,  503. 
McNair,  Captain,  498,  499. 
Meinung,  452. 
Merck,  460. 


522 


INDICES. 


Meurer,  Philip  Andrew,  449. 

Meyer,  Adolph,  454. 

Michigan,  481,  503. 

Minnesota,  503. 

Minnisinks,  450. 

"  Missionary  Intelligencer,"  the,  484. 

Missions,  foreign,  429,  430. 

"  Missions  Freund,"  503. 

Mohawk  Valley,  463. 

Mohicans,  450. 

Monocacy,  442. 

Monongahela,  480. 

Montour,  Madame,  451. 

Moravia,  432,  433. 

"  Moravian,"  the,  494,  497. 

"  Moravian  Church  Miscellany,"  the, 

491. 
Moravian    College,     the,     494,    497, 

504- 
"  Moravian  Manual,"  the,  497. 
Moravian    Publication    Concern,   the, 

503>  505- 
Morgan,  Colonel  George,  471. 
Morris,  Governor,  462. 
Mount  Bethel,  488. 
Mount  Carmel,  492. 
Mount  Zion,  499. 
Muhlenberg,  449,  450,  456. 
Midler,  George,  476. 
Miiller,  Joseph,  460. 
Midler,  Lewis,  470. 
Miiller,  Valentine,  493. 
Miinster,  Paul,  452. 
Nain,  461,  466. 
Nazareth,   441,   442,   450,    451,   466, 

494.  495.  496. 
Nazareth  Hall,  466;   note,  504. 
Nazmer,  Field-Marshal  von,  434. 
Neisser,  Augustin,  435,  436. 
Neisser,  George,  452. 
Neisser,  Jacob,  435,  436. 
Neisser  family,  the,  433,  457. 
Nelson,  Captain,  498. 
New  Fairfield,  484,  501,  502,  506. 
New  Gnadenhiitten,  481. 
New  Haven,  453,  493,  503. 
New  Jersey,  453,  503. 
New  Orleans,  493. 
New  Philadelphia,  O.,  488. 
New  Salem,  483. 
New  Springplace,  499,  500,  501. 
New  York,  442,  451. 


New    York    German    Mission,    492, 

493- 
New  York  (State),  503. 
Newport,  453. 
Newville,  Wis.,  493. 
Nitschmann,  Bishop  David,  438,  440, 

441,  445.451- 
Nitschmann,  Sr.,  Bishop  John,  459. 
Nitschmann,  the  syndic,  David,  467. 
Nitschmann  family,  433. 
North  Carolina,  459,  460,  468,  503. 
North  Dakota,  503. 
North  Salem,  Wis.,  493. 
Northwest  Fur  Company,  483. 
Norwich,  Conn.,  493. 
Nushagak,  506,  507. 
Nyberg,  453. 
Oerter,  Edmund  A.,  505. 
Oglethorpe,  439. 
Ohio,  503. 
Okely,  452. 
Oley,  Pa.,  451. 
Olney,  111.,  492. 
Onondaga,  463. 
Ontario,  481. 
Oochgelogy,  482,  498. 
Oppelt,  482. 
Ougavigamute,  507. 
Pachgatgoch,  462. 
Palmyra,  N.  J.,  493. 
Pastorius,  444. 
Payne,  Jasper,  453. 
Pechatschek  family,  433. 
Pennsylvania,  439,  440,  441,  443,  445, 

503- 
Pennsylvania  Synods,   the,  447,  450, 

455.  456. 
Peter,  Simon,  477. 
Petersen,  Karsten,  482. 
Pezold,  452,  460. 
Pfeil,  Von,  439. 
Pfohl,  C. ,  492. 
Pfohl,  S.  T.,  495. 
Philadelphia,  441,  442,  447,  448,  450, 

451,  458,  466,  494,  496. 
Pietism,  434,  436. 
Pilgerruh,  481. 
Pittslnirg,  471. 
Poland,  432,  433,  438. 
Post,  Frederick,  462,  463. 
Potatic,  463. 
Pott,  William,  444. 


INDICES. 


523 


Potter,  Archbishop,  438. 

Powell,  452,  453,  463. 

Praeger,  John,  493. 

Proctor,  Genera],  483. 

Providence,  R.  I.,  493. 

Province  Island,  466. 

Provincial    Eiders'   Conference,   491, 

494,  495,  496,  505- 
Provincial  Plelpers'  Conference,  468, 

489.    _ 
Provincial  Synod,  the,  489. 
Provincial  Synod  of  1849,  491. 

"  1855,  494- 

"  1858,  495,  496. 

"  1881,  504,  505. 

"       "  1893,  505- 
Prussia,  433. 
Purysburg,  440. 
Putnam,  General,  476. 
Pyrlaus,  449,  463. 
Quitopahilla,  456. 
Racoon,  453. 
Rau,  Leonard,  493. 
Rauch,    Christian   Henry,  445,    451, 

453- 
Recognition  by  Parliament,  459. 
Reformed,    the,    433,  437,  444,  447, 

448,  449. 
Reformers,  the,  432. 
Reichel,    Bishop    Charles    Gotthold, 

477- 
Reichel,  Bishop  J.  F.,  473. 
Reichel,  Bishop  Levin  T.,  495. 
Reichenau,  431. 
Reinke,  Abraham,  452,  453. 
Reuss,  Countess  Erdmuth  Dorothea, 

435- 
Reutz,  Matthew,  452. 
Rice,  Owen,  452,  453. 
Ricksecker,  Peter,  502. 
Ritter,  Francis,  444. 
Rokycana,  431. 

Rondthaler,   Bishop  Edward,  506. 
Rondthaler,  Emanuel,  488. 
Rose,  Peter,  440. 
Roseen,  Sven,  452,  453. 
Ross,  John,  499. 
Roth,  John,  490. 
Rothe,  John  Andrew,  435,  436. 
Ruede,  Herman,  499. 
St.  Croix,  438. 
St.  Thomas,  438,  455. 


Salem,  N.  C,  468,  487,  500,  501. 
Salem,  N.  C,  church  for  negroes  at, 

487.  ■ 
Salem,  O.,  471,  476,  479,  480. 
Salem  P'emale  Academy,   504;  note, 

504- 
Sandusky,  479,  480. 
Savannah,  439,  440. 
Saxony,  443. 
Schallmann  family,  433. 
Schebosch,  463. 
Schechschiquanunk,  470, 
Schlatter,  456. 
Schmick,  470. 
Schmidt,  Anthony,  463. 
Schmidt,  Jost,  444. 
Schnall,  484. 

Schneider,  Paul,  452.  * 

Schneider  family,  433. 
Schnell,  Leonard,  452,  453. 
Schoechert,  J.  PL,  508. 
Schonbrunn,  471,  480,  481. 
Schropp,  Matthew,  454. 
Schulius,  George,  440. 
Schultze,  Dr.  Augustus,  504. 
Schuylkill,  450. 
Schweinitz,  Bishop  Edmund  de,  494, 

495,  497,  503- 
Schweinitz,  Frederick  von,  482. 
Schweinitz,  Hans  Christian  Alexander 

von,  459,  462,_  475,  477,  478. 
Schweinitz,  Louis  David  de,  487. 
Schweinitz,  Robert  de,  505. 
Schwenkfelder,  436,  439,  444. 
Scott,  General,  499. 
"  Sea  Congregation,  First,"  450. 
Sehlen,  433,  435. 
Seidel,  Charles  F.,  497. 
Seidel,  Frederick,  440. 
Seidel,  Nathanael,  452,  453,  454,  460, 

464,  474. 
Seiffert,  Anton,  440,  451,  452. 
Sendomir,  Consensus  of,  433,  447. 
Senftleben,  433. 

Senseman,  Edwin  T.,  495,  497. 
Senseman,  Gottlob,  470. 
Seward,  442. 
Shamokin,  451,  463. 
Sharon,  O.,  487. 
Shaw,  Joseph,  453,  463. 
Shckomeko,  450,  451,  462. 
Shikellimy,  Chief,  463. 


524 


INDICES. 


Shultz,  Bishop  Henry  Augustus,  490. 

Siewers,  Dr.  N.  S.,  506. 

Silkhope,  470. 

Sitkovius,  437. 

Six  Nations,  the,  450. 

Smith,  David  Zeisberger,  499,  501. 

Smith,  Renatus,  499. 

Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel, 
456,  475,  476,  484,  506. 

Society  of  the  United  Brethren  in 
North  Carolina  for  the  Further- 
ance of  the  Gospel,  484. 

Solle,  452. 

South  Carolina,  440. 

Spain,  war  with,  441. 

Spangenberg,  Augustus  Gottlieb,  439, 

440,  441,  442,  444,  445,  453,  455, 

.     456,  45 7>  458,  459.  460,  463,  464. 

Spener,  434,  436. 

Springplace,  482,  498,  499. 

Stach,  433,  438. 

Staten  Island,  451. 

Steiner,  Abraham,  482,  487. 

Stephen,  Bishop,  432. 

Stiefel,  George,  444. 

Surinam,  438,  492. 

Susquehanna,  453. 

Sustentation  Diacony,  469,  406. 

Sustentation  Fund,  495,  505. 

Switzerland,  443. 

Tank,  Otto,  492. 

Tanneberger,  433. 

Teedyuscung,  462. 

Tettepachsit,  482. 

Thames,  battle  of  the,  483. 

Thames  River,  Ont.,  481,  484. 

Theological  seminary,  the,  477,  497, 

504- 
Thomas,  Governor,  447. 
Thorpe,  452. 
Till,  Jacob,  452. 
Tijltschig,  John,  440,  460. 
Tomotschatchi,  440. 
Torgersen,  506. 
Tranberg,  453. 
Trusteeships,  505. 
Tubingen,  438,  446. 
Tulpehocken,  449. 
Tiirnstein,  Louis,  446. 
Tuscarawas,  471,  476,  479,  480,  481, 

484,  501. 
Union,  overtures  for,  504. 


United  Brethren's  Home  Missionary 
Society  of  North  Carolina,  488. 

Unity's  Elders'  Conference,  the,  467, 
468,  490,  495. 

Upper  Lusatia,  434. 

Utica,  N.  Y.,  493. 

Utley,  452. 

Van  Vleck,  Bishop  Henry,  490, 

Van  Vleck,  Henry,  454. 

Van  Vleck,  Jacob,  475. 

Verbeek,  John  Renatus,  477. 

Virginia,  453,  503. 

Voglcr,  Jesse,  501. 

Vogler,  Miles,  499. 

Wabash,  481. 

Wachovia,  460,  468,  470,  477, 

Wagner,  John  George,  470. 

Wagner,  William,  444. 

Waldenses,  432. 

War  of  Independence,  472. 

Ward,  500. 

Warman,  John  F.,  493. 

Waschke,  George,  440. 

Washington,  George,  472,  475. 

Watertown,  Wis.,  493. 

Wattee,  Christian  David,  498. 

Watteville,  Bishop  John  de,  456,  458, 

463,  474- 
Weber,  Christian,  444. 
Weber,  E.,  507. 
Webster,  493. 
Wechquadnach,  462. 
Wechquetank,  463,  466. 
Weinland,  William,  506,  507. 
Weiss,  I-udwig,  460. 
Weisser,  Conrad,  450,  463. 
Wesley,  Charles,  440. 
Wesley,  John,  440. 
West  Indies,  the  Danish,  438,  443. 
West  Salem,  111.,  488,  492,  500. 
W^estfield,  501. 
Westmann,  453- 
White  Mountain,  432. 
Whitefield,  George,  441. 
Whitefield  House,  the,  495. 
Wiegner,  Christopher,  444.        ^ 
Wiegner,  George,  439. 
Williamson,  Colonel,  480. 
Winnebago,  Lake,  501. 
Wisconsin,  503. 
Wittenberg,  432,  434. 
Woapikamikunk,  481. 


INDICES. 


525 


VVohlfarth,  Allanson  E.,  499. 

Wohlfarth,  Jacob,  482. 

Wolff,  Frank  E.,  507. 

Wolle,  Bishop  Peter,  490. 

Wolle,  Sylvester,  494. 

Woolwich,  N.  J.,  487. 

Woonsocket,  493. 

Worcester,  493. 

Wunderling,  Theophilus,  497. 

Wyalusing,  470. 

Wyandottes,  501. 

Wyoming  Valley,  451,  461,  463. 

Yadkin  Valley,  460. 


Yarrel,  452. 

York,  451. 

Zauchtenthal,  436. 

Zeisberger,  David,  440,  463,  470,  471, 

476,  479,  481,  483. 
Zeisberger  family,  433. 
Zevilly,  Vanneman,  488. 
Ziegenhagen,  448. 
Zinzendorf,  Count,  434,  435,  436,  437, 

43''^.  439.  442,  443.  445.  44^,  447. 

448,  449,  450,  451,  459,  463,  464. 
Zinzendorf,  the  estates  of  Count,  467. 
Zittau,  435. 


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The  Religious  Forces  of  the  United  States,  H.  K.  Carroll,  LL.D., 
Editor  of  The  Independent,  Supt.  Church  Statistics,  U.  S.  Census,  etc. 
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Advocate. 

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Rector  Hertzog  Hall,  New  Brunswick,  N.J. 
Reformed  Church,  German, Rev.  J.  H.  Dubbs,  D.D., 

Professor  of  History.  Franklyn  and 
Marshall  College,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Hamilton,  D.D., 
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Rev.  J.  H.  Allen,  D.D^, 
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Rev.  Richard  Eddy,  D.D., 

Providence,  R.  I. 
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Professor    Greek    and    N.   T.  Exegesis, 
Nashville,  Tenn. 

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Professor     Ecclesiastical     History     and 
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Rev.  James  B.  Scouller,  D.D., 

Newville,  Pa. 
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Rev.  R.   B.  Tyler,  D.D.,  New  York. 

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Bibliography,    . 


mr  9 


BX9515  C83 

A  history  of  the  Reformed  church,  Dutch; 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00042  5654 


